After falling short of their goal of repeating as champions, the Golden State Warriors could look very different next season. That could start with longtime Warriors star Draymond Green, who could opt out of his contract this summer. While there were reports that the Warriors could re-sign Green in free agency, they chose not to extend his contract earlier in the season when they did with Jordan Paul and Andrew Wiggins.
After the preseason incident in which he punched Paul, Golden State may have been sending Green a message, wanting to see how he would respond. Green wasn’t the same player he once was, but he proved instrumental in helping the Warriors reach the semifinals as a sixth seed.
Now, Golden State will have to decide whether to return the green or move forward. If coach Steve Kerr has any say in contract negotiations, he’ll be back next season.
Kerr’s comments could lead to Draymond Green returning to the Warriors next season.
Kerr emerging as strong as he did could increase the chances of Green ending his career with Golden State. However, keeping it would be costly for the Warriors, who are already the most expensive team in NBA history and are subject to a refined tax.
Basically, keeping Green could cost three times his annual salary in tax payments. That’s in addition to the new CBA, which will make it nearly impossible for big-spending teams like the Warriors to improve.
Even then, letting a member of the Big Three go seemed like a no-go. Maybe Golden State will be the same, talent-wise, next season without Green. Then again, he gives the team a much-needed edge and seems to push his teammates to play as hard as he does.
That, alone, might not make him worth another big multi-year deal. Still, Kerr believes the Warriors won’t stand a chance at winning another championship without Green, and that should tell us everything we need to know about his importance to their team.