The Golden State Warriors already have their work cut out for them in 2026-27.
They'll begin the season without Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody—two would-be starters in their rotation if they were fully healthy. They have young, ascending pieces in Yaxel Lendeborg and Gui Santos, and they'll need to figure out what their roles look like moving forward. Even if we set aside the looming decision between Brandin Podziemski and De'Anthony Melton for the starting backcourt role next to Stephen Curry, this team has plenty of early-season intrigue lying ahead of it.
But the most perilous storyline of 2026-27 for the Warriors might very well involve a familiar face: Draymond Green.
The Warriors considered the idea of moving Green at last season's trade deadline in a potential package for Giannis Antetokounmpo. That idea has only gained more credence when Green made the decision to waive his implicit no-trade clause on the one-year, $27.7 million deal that brought him back to Golden State after they lost the LeBron James sweepstakes.
Green can't justify a nearly $28 million salary at the age of 36. But if a slow start to the season necessitates a move to the bench, how can you ultimately justify keeping him on the roster at all?
Green won't have much time to prove himself if he wants to play out the full length of 2026-27 with the Warriors.
Draymond Green's early season performance will give us a real glimpse at the Warriors' willingness to entertain the trade market
Because he signed a new deal this offseason, Green won't be eligible for trade until Dec. 15. So it's not a matter of the team looking to move off his contract early in the season.
But the first two months of the campaign is when this rotation without Butler and Moody will be taking shape. Lendeborg seems poised to step into the starting lineup after a strong showing in Summer League. He should have the perimeter shooting capabilities to keep Green on the court even if the veteran struggles offensively.
Things aren't looking good for Green on that front, though. His numbers dropped virtually across the board last season, and he's clearly also lost a step on the defensive end. Across 68 games in 2025-26, he averaged just 8.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists while shooting 41.8% from the field—his lowest mark since his rookie season in 2012-13.
Even setting aside the eventual return of Butler, Green may be facing real pressure from Gui Santos for his starting role. Santos averaged 15.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and four assists while shooting an even 50% from the field from Feb. 1 onward last season. He took major strides as an on-ball shot creator and an interior scorer. If the Warriors find themselves in need of an extra offensive punch early in the season, it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility that they pair Lendeborg and Santos in the frontcourt.
Trading Green suddenly becomes a much more desirable option if he's on the bench in December, doesn't it?
Of course, Golden State would like Green to justify his contract extension however possible. But there's a chance he won't have much time to accomplish that goal.
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