The Golden State Warriors are currently focused on defending their NBA title, yet whenever their season does eventually come to an end, attention will turn to one very important player in particular.
Draymond Green will be the franchise’s biggest priority this offseason, having previously forgone a contract extension for the four-time champion. The 33-year-old holds the power though — he can opt in to a $27.6 million contract, or opt out and become an unrestricted free agent.
A contract extension for Draymond Green may be less than first thought, with the Golden State Warriors already holding a hefty payroll for next season.
Spotrac’s Keith Smith joined 95.7 The Game’s Steiny and Guru on Monday to discuss Green’s possible deal. The front office expert gave a prediction on what sort of contract the Warriors and Green could agree upon should he opt out of his player option.
"“I think he’s going to opt out for sure. I don’t know that he leaves though…I think we’re probably talking somewhere in that three and 60ish range, something like that. That allows him to add more guaranteed money… For Draymond Green now, it’s starting to turn into a lot more about years than it is about dollars at this point in his career.”"
A three-year, $60 million contract would be a really good outcome for the franchise, even though Green would be 37 by the end of that deal. The former Defensive Player of the Year has showed little sign of slowing down this season despite carrying a massive workload with Golden State’s limited frontcourt depth.
Green’s value, as always, will be judged by what he produces in the playoffs should the Warriors make it. He’s always been someone who brings his best for the postseason, and he’ll have to do it again given Golden State are likely to do it from a low seeding. What he’s worth come free agency may well be determined by this last period of the 2022-23 season.
But right now, $20 million per season would be a contract that does the Warriors a favour. First and foremost, it would reduce their payroll and luxury tax bill for next season at the very least. Then, if at some point, Green is usurped by Jonathan Kuminga or someone else in the starting lineup, then you’d feel better about a $20 million player coming off the bench than someone on closer to $30 million. Golden State already face that predicament with Jordan Poole who’s set to earn $27.5 million from next season.
Then you have the overall salary cap landscape moving forward. With a new collective bargaining agreement and media rights deal soon to come in, the cap is projected to skyrocket even further. Green might not be worth $20 million at age 37, but at least that figure will be less substantial in league terms than what it is right now. If the Warriors can get Green on a three-year, $60 million deal, then that’s a steal the front office shouldn’t think twice about.