For the remainder of the season, the Golden State Warriors have relatively low stakes. Their acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis and the eventual return of Stephen Curry should be enough to elevate them into the play-in and perhaps into the first round of the playoffs.
But with Jimmy Butler out for the season with a torn ACL, there should be no illusions. The Warriors are not good enough to compete for a championship this season.
This is a brutal truth, and it will necessitate some serious self-reflection in Golden State. They will have some tough choices to make this offseason, and their chances at another championship will depend upon them making the right ones.
Among these will be the ongoing status of Draymond Green. The veteran forward has a player option for 2026-27 that sits at $27.7 million. If he picks it up, he could absolutely handicap Golden State's ability to build out their roster.
Unfortunately, Green's departure seems more likely than it ever has. He, however, has made a desperate plea to prevent it with his play over this last stretch of games.
Draymond Green's departure may be inevitable, but he's showing where his value still lies
If anyone can be accused of inconsistent play, especially when Curry is out, it's Green. But over the past few games, he's been a bright spot for the Warriors.
This culminated in his excellent defensive performance against Victor Wembanyama on Wednesday night. Although Wembanyama went off in the fourth quarter to seal the win for San Antonio, Green did an excellent job limiting his impact over the course of the game.
It was also among Green's best offensive performances this season. Through just under 30 minutes on the court, he posted 17 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists, knocking down 6 of his 14 shots from the field.
If you ignore some of the warts (such as his seven turnover game against the Memphis Grizzlies), this last stretch has been somewhat solid for Draymond. Over his last six games, he's averaging 11 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists while shooting 38.5% from 3-point range.
If he continues like this for the rest of the season, he could successfully prove he retains enough value as a player to be worth keeping around. But do the finances and his fit on the roster warrant it?
Green is well past his prime, and any defensive value he provides is often negated by his presence as a non-shooter and a non-factor in the offense. With his player option looming, this offseason could very well be the end of his time with Golden State.
No matter how he performs the rest of the season, it's the devastating truth.