Golden State Warriors Contract Analysis: Draymond Green
By Andrew Ites
The Warriors have Draymond Green under contract for the next two seasons, but what will his next deal look like in Golden State?
Draymond Green has been the heart and soul of this Warriors team ever since he entered into the starting lineup in 2014.
His defense and playmaking ability have been outstanding, but Draymond’s leadership and passion for the game may be his most important qualities. Not to mention his recruitment of Kevin Durant, which cemented Golden State as the most talented team in NBA history.
Green’s outside shot has been streaky throughout his career, but I’d expect his three-point percentage to bounce back next season after he struggled with a shoulder injury all of last year.
If that outside shot returns, he will be one of the most well-rounded players in the world.
Draymond’s current contract is one of the best bargains in the league.
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Golden State locked him up on a five-year deal worth $82 million, with an average annual salary of $16.4 million, back in the summer of 2015 before he made his first All-Star team.
Green is entering the third year of that contract this season, and his current deal is set to expire in the summer of 2020 when he would become an unrestricted free agent.
Golden State has been trying to open up contract extension negotiations with Draymond this offseason, but ESPN’s Chris Haynes reported that Green will reject all extension offers this offseason.
Haynes wrote that Draymond would be eligible for a three-year extension worth $72 million that would begin in the 2020-21 season this summer. However, it wouldn’t make any financial sense for Green to accept that offer.
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Draymond would be eligible for a “super max” contract in 2020 if he makes another All-NBA team, wins another Defensive Player of the Year Award, or wins an MVP before his current contract expires. That deal would be worth $226 million over five years.
There’s a good possibility that Green could earn that type of deal when his current contract expires, even though he will turn 30 years old before that summer.
Draymond’s contract negotiations could determine whether the Warriors will be able to keep this team together moving forward.
Golden State will likely try to negotiate an extension with him next offseason, but I’d expect Draymond to wait for that super max offer to come from someone in 2020 before he locks himself in with a long-term deal.
This developing story will be extremely interesting to watch over the next couple of years.
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Here’s our analysis of the other Warriors contract situations: