The Golden State Warriors face a handful of significant decisions this offseason, not the least of which involves the future of four-time champion Draymond Green.
Green holds a player option on the final season of his four-year, $100 million contract, which is valued at $27.7 million in 2026-27. He said earlier this offseason that he is open to opting out and renegotiating a new multiyear deal if the Warriors express a willingness to be “fair” in doing so.
Given Green’s age (he turns 37 late next season) and the Warriors’ priorities of competing for another title while Steph Curry is still on the team and retains legitimate superstar status, there is no doubt that Green would have to take a pay cut next season and lower his annual average salary moving forward in order to get more guaranteed years.
Anthony Slater of ESPN spoke on Thursday, June 18 with “The Morning Roast” on 95.7 The Game and laid out why, and why not, the Warriors might consider that path forward.
The Warriors’ interest in a decline and extend at a lower number is contingent on that salary savings, that first-year salary savings, leading to an important roster move. Like, him going from $27 [million] to $18, $19, $20 million or something like that. Will that money then help them get a really impact piece?
Then, having him on that type of deal — three [years] for whatever [amount] — it would have a bonus [for] them. If there’s not a bonus out there in some roster maneuvering, then the likelihood is they would just rather have him on a short-term deal — one [year] for $27 [million].
Draymond Green Unlikely to Opt Out of Deal With Warriors’ Absent New Extension in Golden State
GettyDraymond Green of the Golden State Warriors.
Green also has the choice to decline his option and test the market this summer. However, it is highly unlikely that doing so wouldn’t cost him money in 2026-27.
It is also unclear if his defensive-centric skill set, coupled with his volatile personality that has created issues both on and off the court over the years, would allow Green to ink a multiyear deal elsewhere that would compete with what he can get from Golden State.
“I think we all know that’s a very unlikely path, so everything right now is pointing to a return on the one-year [deal] for $27 [million],” Slater continued.
Green averaged 8.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists last season in 27.5 minutes per night across 68 games played, all of which he started. He also finished 11th in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
The Warriors fell one win shy of the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, losing to the Phoenix Suns in the final play-in tournament game on that side of the bracket.
Draymond Green Possible Chip in Blockbuster Trade if He Stays With Warriors
GettyDraymond Green (left) of the Golden State Warriors.
Bringing Green back on a one-year salary approaching $28 million isn’t the most cost-effective move Golden State could make, but it would afford the Warriors meaningful financial flexibility to execute an in-season trade — potentially for a star player.
“My opinion right now would be stays and plays, and we’ll see how the season materializes,” Slater said. “He becomes an important salary-match piece in any bigger-picture, large-scale trade.”
“When you have one-year, expiring chunk deals in the modern NBA, that is just like perfect salary matching,” Slater continued. “So in a lot of ways, it’s an at-risk deal for him for sure. But in no ways is it a guarantee of a trade, or [that] an opt-in should signal he is definitely gonna be shipped off.”
Warriors Insider Reveals Team’s Likely Plans for Draymond Green