All good things come to an end. The Chicago Bulls dynasty of the 1990s dissolved as Michael Jordan decided to call it quits for the second (but not the last) time in his career, The Beatles went their separate ways in 1970, and, for younger fans, One Direction had their infamous breakup in early 2016. And perhaps the Golden State Warriors dynasty led by Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green could be approaching its last legs as well.
According to Heavy.com, the writing appears to be on the wall for Green's Warriors tenure, especially in light of the punch he threw against $140 million man Jordan Poole and the financial ramifications of a potential extension given Andrew Wiggins' new deal. An unnamed league executive said that Curry and Thompson are “likely on board” with a future without the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year.
“If Draymond had been a good soldier all the way, maybe they plan to work it out with him. But everything that happened gave them the opening to move on from him,” the executive told Sean Deveney. “They gave out the extensions [to Poole and Wiggins], and that was a pretty clear sign like, OK, we’re not all in on Draymond from here out. […]
“Individually, I am not sure anyone would say Steph or Klay is fed up or anything, but the organization is more in a position to move on from him, and you have to think that would not be the case if they did not think Steph and Klay were on board.”
Warriors fans will definitely be disappointed by this development, as Draymond Green has been an invaluable part of their four championships over the past decade. An all-world defender and playmaker, Green elevates his teammates the same way Curry and Thompson maximize his skillset.
For what it's worth, in an article published by ESPN's Zach Lowe earlier Thursday, he mentioned that his sources told him that the Warriors “have not engaged in any trade talks centered on Green, and don't plan to as of now”. Nevertheless, it'd be difficult for the Warriors to keep Green beyond this season, as it's likely that the 6'6 forward opts out of his $27.5 million player option in search of a longer-term deal, whether in San Francisco or elsewhere.
But with the Dubs looking at a luxury tax bill of around $500 million, Draymond Green could perhaps be the casualty of a cost-cutting move. Warriors fans will hope that their youngsters will be ready to at least approximate what Green brings to the table in support of Stephen Curry when the time comes.
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