It remains to be seen what the future holds for Draymond Green with the Golden State Warriors.
Green has a $27 million player option on his contract for next season that he could turn down in favor of a new contract in free agency. While Green has made it clear that he would like to continue his career with the Warriors, there’s no guarantee that the organization will be willing, or able, or keep him around.
Even if Green, 36, is back in the Bay next season, the Warriors will still need to identify a succession plan at the power forward position. Perhaps they could do that in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft.
Warriors select forward Karim Lopez in First Round of 2026 NBA Mock Draft
GettyHOBART, AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 26: Karim Lopez of the Breakers dunks the ball during the round 14 NBL match between Tasmania JackJumpers and New Zealand Breakers at MyState Bank Arena, on December 26, 2025, in Hobart, Australia. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)
In a recent 2026 NBA mock draft, Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports has the Warriors selecting New Zealand Breakers forward Karim Lopez in the first round.
As a versatile two-way player, Lopez, 19, shares some on-court similarity with Green, though he’s more adept as a floor-spacer and a couple of inches taller.
“One player who has gone under the radar throughout the pre-draft process, since he spent two seasons in the NBL’s Next Stars program, is Lopez. He averaged 12 points and six rebounds playing his games against grown men, and got better in each of his two seasons. He’s a smart cutter who finds scoring lanes within the flow of the offense, a solid shooter and a versatile defender,” O’Connor wrote.
“That two-way versatility would work well with the Warriors, who need to replenish the roster with some upside. If Green sticks around long term, he could actually be quite a good mentor for Lopez, given they’re both hard-nosed players who make a winning effort at all times on the court.”
Obviously no one is ever going to replace Green in terms of what he meant for the Warriors as an organization, but Lopez could ultimately replace some of his on-court production, if selected.
Draymond Green Doesn’t Know What the Future Holds for Him With Warriors
Green recently acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding his future and emphasized that he truly doesn’t know how things are going to play out.
“I’ve never been so uncertain since early in my career on what happens next, but I’m truly at a loss now because you just don’t know what direction will be what,” Green said. “… I also hope I’m on this team next year. We also don’t know that. And man, if it was, what a run it’s been. … We shall see. I don’t know. Just got to stay ready for whatever it is and roll with the punches.”
The first decision that Green has to make over the offseason is whether or not to pick up his player option for next season. Once he makes that decision, he and the Warriors can move forward from there.
Since this could be Green’s last opportunity to secure a substantial, multi-year contract, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him turn down the option in favor of a new deal.
Warriors Add Potential Draymond Green Replacement in First Round of 2026 NBA Mock Draft