There's a lot going on in the present for Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors. They're currently firmly entrenched in a first-round playoff series against De'Aaron Fox and the Sacramento Kings. Getting to the next round and beyond is priority number one through five for the team.
But the moment the dust settles, whether they win the title, get eliminated by the Kings, or somewhere in between, questions will start to swirl on the future of Draymond Green. NBA insider Shams Charania gave some insight on what the Warriors are hoping to do with their veteran leader.
Green and the Warriors will have his future to work through in the offseason, with a $27.6 million player option providing several paths. League sources say the Warriors want to retain Green. Green averaged 8.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists in 73 games this season, his highest points per game and games played marks since 2017-18. Several contenders across the league will value Green as a potential free agent in the offseason. But for now they’re locked in this remaining best-of-three series against the Kings.
With a player option for next season, the 33-year-old could potentially opt-in for one more year and delay the hard decision for one more year. Whether or not he takes that route, Draymond Green will surely explore a possible extension with the Warriors to keep him there for what's likely to be his twilight years in the NBA.
There's also the possibility that a dispute during negotiations leads to a stunning parting of ways. Golden State continues to ring up a gargantuan luxury tax bill and another huge extension for one of their stars won't ease any of their burden. Given the report that both sides look to want to make things work, that might be a surprising result – but far from impossible.
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