The Golden State Warriors will keep the ship going for at least the next three years after they locked up Draymond Green to a four-year, $100 million contract with a player option in the final year. The Warriors prioritized retaining the four-time champion in NBA free agency in an effort to squeeze out another title or two with the legendary trio of Green, Steph Curry, and Klay Thompson.
Several teams such as the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Sacramento Kings had their sights set on the Warriors forward during free agency. But as it turned out, it never really seemed like Green was going to leave The Bay Area. In fact, Green's signing was officially the very first move in free agency.
Now that his future with Golden State is secure, let us grade Draymond Green's newly-signed four-year, $100 million deal with the Warriors.
Draymond Green Warriors contract grade: A
This is just about the sweet spot the Warriors were looking for in a new Draymond Green contract. Green raised many eyebrows and made Dub Nation sweat a little when he claimed he wanted a max contract in free agency.
But all the worries went away the moment the clock struck 6 PM ET on Friday. As mentioned, Green and the Warriors did not waste any time in extending their partnership by immediately putting pen into paper the second NBA free agency opened.
Both sides also benefit from this new deal. Earlier during the offseason, Green declined his $27.6 million player option to become an unrestricted free agent. His new deal will pay him around $22.3 million this upcoming season, per The Athletic. That is $5.3 million less than his salary for 2023-24 had he opted in, which saves the Warriors a ton of money in tax dollars this year.
Meanwhile, the deal secures Green more money in the long run with at least approximately $72 million guaranteed through the first three years. Most reports suggested the Warriors to sign the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year to a three-year contract. But Green was able to extract a fourth-year player option that could net him over $27 million during his age-37 season.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr claimed they would not be championship contenders without the 6-foot-6 forward. And he is right. Green has been a major catalyst in all of Golden State's four NBA championships.
He is the heart and soul of this Warriors dynasty. While his production and scoring has fallen off, he still plays championship-level basketball with his smart basketball IQ on offense and his grit and tenacity on the defensive side of the ball.
Green is the perfect complementary piece next to Steph Curry with his ability to make plays and find the two-time MVP in spots where he wants it on the floor. The two have unmatched chemistry that was built through years of playing championship basketball together.
Green is also still one of the best and most versatile defenders in the NBA. He is without a doubt the anchor of this Warriors defense and without him, they will fall apart on that end of the floor.
Surely, this deal took a ton of negotiating and back and forth between Green and the Warriors. All in all, this was a tremendous contract that favors both sides' interests. More importantly, it keeps the Dubs dynasty alive a little longer and gives them a chance to win another title.