After 14 years with the franchise, most have come to assume that Draymond Green will retire as a member of the Golden State Warriors. With four championships and nine All-Defense nods on his résumé, it's an admittedly fair assumption.
Green will be eligible for unrestricted free agency this coming summer, however, and the Warriors need to land on an ideal resolution before it's too late.
Green has a player option for the 2026-27 season worth $27,678,571. He'll turn 36 in March, however, and could thus decline it in favor of signing what could ultimately be the last long-term contract of his NBA career when factoring in how rare it is for players to sustain a high level of play into their 40s.
It's also plausible that Green could opt out in favor of a short but still multi-year deal that may or may not exceed his current annual salary, but offers more financial stability.
Regardless of what his rationale may be, Green opting out would be a landscape-altering decision. The Warriors have every reason to reward his loyalty, but if the goal is surrounding Stephen Curry with enough talent to give him a shot at a fifth career championship, the case isn't quite as open and shut as it seems.
With an eventful summer looming, the Warriors must decide sooner than later if they believe their most likely path to a title includes Green.
Draymond Green will be eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2026
It's easy to slam the door shut on the idea that the Warriors should opt against re-signing Green this summer. He's contributed more to the franchise than a vast majority of players who have donned the uniform, and should thus be respected as such.
Green has also continued to play an exceptionally high level, earning All-Defensive First Team recognition in 2024-25 and leading the Warriors in assists per game in 2025-26.
As rumors continue to swirl about Golden State's grand offseason plans, however, fit becomes an unavoidable factor. In addition to the fact that both Jimmy Butler and Curry will make upward of $50 million, primary trade target Giannis Antetokounmpo isn't necessarily a natural complement to Green.
With both players struggling to shoot with efficiency, it's at least worth discussing how the logistics would work if the dream trade is pulled off.
Clearly, acquiring Antetokounmpo is far from guaranteed to transpire. It's simply an example of the type of dilemma the Warriors could be faced with and how dire the need is for clarity in regard to Green's fit—including whether or not it's actually personnel dependent.
Entering free agency with the intention of re-signing Green makes sense, but turning the tables on him at the last minute once a more ideal target emerges would be a stain on the organization.
Loyalty is a factor, whether outsiders believe it should be or not. That doesn't necessarily mean Golden State should or shouldn't re-sign Green, but it absolutely entitles him to a dignified departure if he's ultimately deprioritized.
Regardless of how Green and the Warriors decide to move forward, they must get on the same page sooner than later to avoid the type of disaster a franchise great should never endure.