Draymond Green faces a very direct problem with the Golden State Warriors this summer, albeit one that the veteran forward does at least have some element of control over.
It's a problem shared by former Warrior championship teammate Andrew Wiggins who also holds a player option for next season, with the pair facing the prospect of becoming trade candidates if they opt in to their respective deals.
Andrew Wiggins faces Draymond Green's exact problem this summer
Green has a $27.6 million player option for next season which is a deal he certainly wouldn't get anywhere near were he to become a free agent on the open market. The 36-year-old therefore has to decide whether he wants to opt in and take the money but risk being traded, or opt out and sign a new deal with Golden State at a much lower annual salary.
Wiggins faces the same predicament in Miami where the 2022 All-Star has a $30.2 million player option on the four-year contract he initially signed with the Warriors after their 2022 championship.
The 31-year-old certainly remains a valuable starting-level player, but he's unlikely to get $30 million were he to hit free agency. Yet if he opts in and takes the money, he could well become a trade candidate after rumors of such a move have existed from the months shortly after his arrival in the Jimmy Butler trade.
Wiggins may not necessarily find himself involved in a blockbuster Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, but he could be dealt afterwards in a different deal if the Heat believe they can get an upgrade that may better complement a potential duo of Bam Adebayo and the Greek Freak.
On paper Wiggins actually makes sense with those two stars, yet he'd feel safer about his future with Miami if he too opted out and signed a more team-friendly, multi-year deal with the franchise next month.
Andrew Wiggins has remained a consistent player since arrival in Miami
Wiggins has remained much the same player since being traded by the Warriors to the Heat last February, continuing to prove a consistent 3-and-D starter but without reaching the heights of what was once promised as a former number one overall pick.
The Canadian actually saw his scoring dip slightly this past season, but he was more efficient in shooting 47.5% from the floor and a career-high 41.4% from 3-point range on nearly five attempts per game.
Just like Green's decision with the Warriors, Wiggins' call on his contract with the Heat could have significant ramifications on their roster and their ability to build a contender next season.
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