The Golden State Warriors handed out a pair of big contract extensions last week.
Jordan Poole was the beneficiary of a 4-year, $140 million deal. Andrew Wiggins got 4 years and $109 million. Clearly both guys were viewed as integral parts of the franchise’s future by the front office.
One person seeking an extension who didn’t receive one, though, was Draymond Green.
Green is set to make just under $26 million this season, and then he has a player option for $27.6 million the following year. After that – nothing.
This week, ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski weighed in on Green’s longterm prospects with the Warriors.
.@wojespn weighs in on Draymond’s future with the Warriors after Poole’s and Wiggins’ extensions. pic.twitter.com/dWEKsua20C
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 17, 2022
“Now for Draymond Green with that $27.5 million option next season, almost assuredly he’s going to exercise that,” he said to Malika Andrews on NBA Today.
“Not sure that money is going to be — in a long-term deal in his mid-30s — available in the marketplace.”
As far as what happens next, Wojnarowski wasn’t ready to close the door on Green ending up with Golden State when everything is said and done.
“Two years left on his deal, there can be room for an extension at the end of those two years, or a new deal that probably is south of that $27.5 million,” the ESPN insider continued.
“Perhaps isn’t a raise off that. But if the Warriors are winning and Draymond is still a highly productive player and wants to be there, I don’t think it means that his days are necessarily numbered in Golden State.”
It will be interesting to see what happens to Green from this point forward. Obviously him punching out a guy who the front office clearly views as a key part of the franchise’s future didn’t endear him to many folks.
Jordan Poole’s recent comments about his relationship with Green didn’t do much to quell concerns that their beef has died down.
If Green is on his way off the Warriors, one team is viewed as the likeliest potential suitor for him. Time will tell if anything comes to fruition on that front, though.
The photos speak for themselves. https://t.co/iNScmOqZQq
— Game 7 (@game7__) October 17, 2022
This will be an interesting situation to monitor. Obviously if Golden State wins a title or comes close to it over the next couple of years, Green could be kept around for the rest of his career. Particularly if he plays an important role in the proceedings.
But if Green declines as a player, and if the team as a whole struggles, it really wouldn’t be all that shocking to see him in a different uniform come 2024.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
