The NBA announced its All-Defensive Team picks for the 2022-23 campaign on Tuesday and, unsurprisingly, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green was honored as a Second-Team selection.
Golden State’s anchor logged a team-best defensive rating of 109.2 during the regular season and his defensive real plus/minus score of 7.12 was the seventh-best mark league-wide (and No. 2 among power forwards). Meanwhile, opponents’ field-goal percentages dropped by an average of 5.2% on shot attempts where Green was the closest defender.
Despite that, though — not to mention his value as a facilitator and glue guy offensively — the veteran baller and Warriors mainstay may be staring the end of his run with the club in the face.
In a May 9 feature spotlighting “five wild NBA free-agent moves that could happen,” Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale listed Green bidding adieu to the Bay Area among the possibilities.
B/R: Draymond Green Could Be Playing Somewhere Other Than Golden State Next Season
As Favale sees it, finances alone could see the Warriors pivoting away from Green as opposed to allowing him to remain on the roster or giving him the long-term deal he seeks.
The baller has a player option worth $27.6 million next season; if he were to opt in, the Dubs would be looking at paying out nearly a half-billion dollars (or more) in payroll and luxury tax penalties. Even if he were willing to take some kind of paycut on a long-term extension, that cap/tax situation remains incredibly bloated and other factors may be working against a continued partnership, too.
One has to wonder, for example, how his physical assault on teammate Jordan Poole during training camp, the stomp on Domantas Sabonis in the first-round of postseason play against the Sacramento Kings and a lengthy history of wild antics might play into decisions about his future with the franchise.
Wrote Favale of Green’s outlook:
Could the Lakers and Dray’s fellow Klutch Sports Group stars, LeBron James and Anthony Davis, come calling? Would the Rockets consider paying Green in tandem with another huge acquisition? Should the Indiana Pacers consider offering a windfall to pair him up front with Myles Turner? Might other suitors from left field back up the Brink’s Truck as part of sign-and-trade scenarios? Portland? Dallas? Chicago?
Don’t rule out Green’s free agency turning into chaos just yet.
Draymond Has Hinted at Being on the Homestretch of His Warriors Run
During a January interview with B/R’s Taylor Rooks, Green heavily indicated that he would be donning the high tops elsewhere in the not-too-distant future.
“Quite frankly, the writing is on the wall,” Green told Rooks of his Dubs career. “I understand the business. We tend to get into this mindset that someone owes us something because of what we’ve accomplished. You’d be an idiot to walk around feeling that way. Like, I feel like you’re just setting yourself up for failure…
“If you don’t get to know the business, then you can be blindsided and be like, ‘Oh, man, everything I’ve done there. I thought I’d be there forever.’ I would love to be. I understand the luxury tax. I understand you got these young guys and contracts up, and they have to get paid. Like, I understand all of those things.”
In 73 regular-season appearances for the Warriors, Green averaged 8.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.0 steals in 2022-23.
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Draymond Green’s Free Agency Could ‘Turn Into Chaos,’ Analyst Warns