Getty Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green and LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Defensive-minded forward Draymond Green has spent all 11 of his NBA seasons playing for the Golden State Warriors. However, with his contract containing a player-option at the end of this season, speculation about a potential exit has begun.
Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes included the Warriors forward on a March 23 list of upcoming free agents that come with risks attached.
He discussed the potential of Green walking away from The Bay this summer.
“Maybe that scenario won’t come until the start of the 2024-25 season, but we shouldn’t dismiss the chance that Green will turn down his option and hit the market in search of a new deal with a lower annual salary but more guaranteed money overall,” Hughes wrote.
“Green could follow the Harden blueprint in Philly by opting out and re-signing with Golden State, the team with the best understanding of the risk/reward dichotomy he brings. The Michigan native could sign with the Detroit Pistons, one of the few teams with cap space and one that showed a willingness to add vets to a young core when it traded for and later extended Bojan Bogdanović this past fall.”
Kings Could Pry Draymond Green Away From Warriors
Hughes later went on to mention that the 33-year-old forward will find that the grass isn’t always greener. Hughes explained that no team that’s currently contending for an NBA championship would have the cap space to land Green, besides the Sacramento Kings.
“Green may find it difficult to land on a winner if he opts out, as the Sacramento Kings are the closest thing to a contender with the ability to give him more than $15 million per season—and that’d require them letting Harrison Barnes walk for nothing,” Hughes wrote.
Barnes is a player that’s previously been rumored to be a potential replacement for Green if he leaves the Warriors. An anonymous Western Conference executive mentioned so to Heavy Sports‘ Sean Deveney during a recent conversation.
“I could see them trying to get someone to come on with a small mid-level deal, take less money,” the source told Deveney. “I think they would welcome Harrison Barnes back if he would play for a lot less money than he could get on the market. Again, he does not replace Draymond. But he can help fill the void.”
Barnes, who will turn 31 years old before the start of 2023-24 campaign, is currently boasting a 15.0-plus point scoring average for the third consecutive season with the Kings. A former NBA Champion dating back to his days in Golden State, the Iowa native has served as a key veteran presence in Sacramento’s meteoric rise from bottom-dwellers to Western Conference contenders. After finishing last season 11 games below .500, the Kings have catapulted themselves up the Western Conference rankings, currently checking in with a record of 44-29 (seventh-best in the NBA).
Originally selected by the Warriors in the 2012 NBA draft, Barnes spent the first four years of his professional career in the Bay Area, starting a total of 302 games (postseason included) — the majority of which came alongside Green in the frontcourt.
Warriors’ Draymond Green’s Outlook is Uncertain
Hughes’ main reasoning for including Green amongst his list of high-risk free agents was the question mark surrounding his longevity.
He first put a positive spin on things, citing the Dubs forward’s increased efficiency from beyond the arc and his sharp defensive mind could allow the 33-year-old to age more graciously in today’s NBA. The four-time All-Star is having the most efficient year of his career, knocking down 53% of his attempts from the floor, while his 3-point percentage is as high as it’s been in seven seasons at 32.5%.
However, there’s also the cup half-full hypothetical that sees Green’s shooting efficiency come back down to earth in the coming years to a mark that better reflects his career hit rate of 44.8%. Should this be the case, Hughes believes Green could become borderline “unplayable” in the twilight years of his playing career.
“Or, he could lose a half-step athletically, regress on offense and become something close to unplayable—especially on another team that runs a more conventional system,” Hughes proclaimed.
There’s truth to this angle as well. During the playoffs last season, Green had his worst outing since 2012-13. He averaged just eight points per game and was being dared to shoot from distance. His 20.5% clip from deep wasn’t enough for teams to respect him.