You might think the Golden State Warriors are already dealing with a whirlwind of financial issues considering they have one of the highest payrolls in the league.
But if you thought the Dubs had already navigated the trickiest part of rebuilding a championship contender, you are wrong.
The Warriors have a financial storm brewing.
With numerous key contract negotiations on the horizon, the Golden State Warriors front office better be prepared for a storm.
The easy solution to any and all of these questions is to simply pay everybody. As long as you’re winning titles, who cares about the budget?
Well… the NBA does.
The salary cap and luxury tax are issues that no team, even the (mostly) homegrown Warriors, can avoid.
Given this reality, the Dubs will be forced to make some tough decisions in the near future.
Warriors upcoming free agents:
- Jordan Poole (UFA in 2023)
- Andrew Wiggins (UFA in 2023)
- Draymond Green (Player Option in 2023)
- Klay Thompson (UFA in 2024)
Golden State has three key players who are set to test the market next summer. That is, assuming no one agrees to an extension this season, which is a possibility.
Assuming the worst, though, the Warriors will have to figure out how to pay Poole Wiggins and Green (who reportedly wants a max contract) in addition to the massive amounts of money they are already shoveling to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
Things are going to get dicey.
It is not all bad, however.
Draymond’s veteran max contract would be worth $164 across five years. For just $32 million a year, Green’s deal would be cheaper than Wiggins’ current salary ($33 million).
Poole’s deal would not be the same. His max rookie extension would be $188 million over five years, a contract the Dubs simply can not afford without letting go of someone else.
According to Sports Illustrated, it’s more likely Poole is offered something worth $25 million a year.
This still leaves Golden State in a rough situation. How much is left over for Wiggins? Will he accept a decrease in salary to stay with the Warriors? Will they look to trade him? Or will the Dubs opt to pay Wiggins instead of Green or Poole?
It’s a tough thing to predict and we might not know the answer to those questions for quite a long time. For now, buckle up and enjoy the ride.