Could Draymond Green leave the Golden State Warriors this offseason?

Seemingly the ‘victim’ of the league’s financial restrictions, the Warriors now face a situation wherein retaining players like Green will become increasingly difficult. Indeed, the four-time NBA champion could well be the first in a few veterans who look for pastures anew.

Draymond Green declines option with Warriors

Whenever you’ve got a one-team player, the idea that he could one day leave the team with whom he’s made his name always comes as a shock. Yet, that’s exactly what Draymond Green who has spent his entire NBA career with the Golden State Warriors, seems to be considering. Reports have now confirmed that Green will decline his $27.6 million player option for next season, meaning he could well be playing for another team when the next campaign begins. With that said, his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, has made it clear that a return to Golden State is still very much on the table.

Speaking with the media, Paul explained that “we will continue to talk to Golden State and explore all options.” On the other hand, it would be remiss to not mention that when one considers the financial constraints under which the Warriors are operating, Green’s tenure with the team is definitely up in the air. Truth be told, the Warriors are currently operating in excess of the NBA’s projected $179.5 million figure which is the latest addition to the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, something which ironically enough was done to address the spending of teams like the Warriors. Needless to say, the restrictions have significantly hindered the way in which the Warriors can augment their roster. To be clear, if the Warriors had been able to retain Green at the option price, the franchise would have a salary bill of approximately $440 million with luxury taxes included, and that’s before sorting out the offseason.

So how does Golden State sort this out?

With the above-mentioned situation in mind, you can probably guess that the Warriors are currently trying to decrease expenditure. For the moment, Jordan Poole has been The Warriors are seemingly trying to lower that figure, and have therefore been active on the trade market. Jordan Poole has been a name constantly mentioned in relation to a move, as well as Jonathan Kuminga. The talented player has been frequently linked with a trade for a high draft pick. Yet, it remains quite possible that the Warriors could in fact re-sign Green at a lower cap figure, but for several years. This would lower their tax bill, while still offering the veteran a lucrative deal.

Conversely, if it does in fact come to pass that Green heads into free agency, then you can expect a number of teams to come calling. Yes, it’s true that the large majority of teams that can take the cap hit for Green are young and as such likely not looking for a 33-year-old who isn’t known to be offensively prolific, but there are some who might. The Portland Trail Blazers would be a potential candidate and we do know that franchise player, Damian Lillard, has an appreciation for Green. Ultimately, there is nothing carved in stone and if Steve Kerr is to be believed, expect to see the Warriors doing whatever they can to keep Green. “If Draymond’s not back, we’re not a championship contender,” Kerr said following his team’s second-round exit at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers. For the moment all we can do is watch this space.