Getty Team USA in 2016
A four-time All-Star is reportedly using the Los Angeles Lakers for leverage to get more money from his current team.
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.com, there’s a belief around the NBA that Draymond Green is using the Lakers for leverage to try to get more money from the Golden State Warriors next summer. The four-time champion will make $25.8 million this season and has a player option worth $27.6 million for 2023-24.
“There have been rumors out there circulating about Draymond Green and the Los Angeles Lakers. Obviously, he has a relationship with LeBron James. Some in the Warriors’ organization I’ve spoken to aren’t concerned about it. There’s a belief from some around the league it could be a negotiating tactic to get more money in extension talks with the Warriors, and maybe LeBron is trying to weaken the competition in the West,” Scotto said on his podcast. “The Lakers have always been connected to star players like Draymond and Kyrie Irving, looking ahead to next summer’s offseason.”
Green has been heavily linked to the Lakers since he has a close relationship with LeBron James. The two All-Stars have the same agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports. Paul also represents Anthony Davis and Green’s future with the Warriors is up in the air after he punched teammate Jordan Poole in the face.
Stephen A. Smith: Green Wants to Play for the Lakers
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said on October 10th’s episode of “First Take” that Green wants to play for the Lakers. Green can sign with Los Angeles as an unrestricted free agent next summer if he declines his 2023-24 player option with the Warriors.
“I can tell you right now that Draymond Green is expecting this to be his last year in Golden State,” Smith said. “Now he wanna be a Laker. He ain’t gonna tell anybody that, but don’t think I don’t know. He’d prefer to be a Laker if he gotta leave Golden State.”
The Lakers only have James ($46.9 million), Davis ($40.6 million) and Max Christie ($1.7 million) under contract for the 2023-24 season. With the salary cap projected to be $134 million, Los Angeles could create upwards of $30 million to $35 million in cap space.
Anthony Slater, who covers the Warriors for The Athletic, believes the Lakers are a threat to steal Green away from Golden State.
“You mentioned one in the Lakers. He has a deep history now with Klutch (Sports). Rich Paul is his agent. The Lakers, with Russell Westbrook coming off the books, should be able to create enough cap room to give him a reasonable deal he’d like. They have to be considered a threat in this situation,” Slater said on Scotto’s podcast. “From a basketball fit, and Draymond is a basketball junkie, Anthony Davis, LeBron and Draymond would have spacing issues. To me, a type like Kyrie Irving, a scoring guard who could shoot it and fill it up, makes more basketball sense. If Draymond’s looking for a way to his next big contract and doesn’t feel it’s coming from the Warriors – I’m not saying that’s the case at this point – but I think both sides are looking around right now because of everything going on. If the Lakers are the only option, maybe it’s something explored. I think we’re far away from that.”
Lakers May Not Even Pursue Green
Green may not be able to use the Lakers as a leverage play since the franchise may not even pursue him next summer if he becomes an unrestricted free agent. In an October 11th piece called “NBA Execs Lay out Harsh Reality on Warriors’ Potential Draymond Green Move,” Heavy’s Sean Deveney relayed quotes he received from a Western Conference executive about Green. The exec told Deveney that Green could be a “short-term” signing for the Lakers. However, the anonymous front office member believes Los Angeles wants to sign someone younger than Green.
“When they traded for Davis, they wanted him to be their guy for the future,” the West exec said. “He has had the injuries, though. They’re going to get one real shot at that cap space and they’re going to want someone who lines up with AD in terms of age. If they can’t get the right fit, then, yeah maybe you look at a short-term deal with Draymond. But that is not going to be their preference. They’re going to be looking at bringing in someone younger if it is possible.”
Green has career averages of 8.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists with the Warriors. He turns 33 in March.