Draymond Green Addresses Future With Golden State Warriors
Winning four of the last eight championships, the Golden State Warriors have cemented themselves as a dynasty in the NBA and Draymond Green has been a huge part of this organization's success.
He may not be the best scorer in the league and what he does on the court may not always show up in the stat sheets, but Green is the heart-and-soul of the Warriors and his ability to not only lead the offense as the team’s main facilitator, but lead them defensively as their anchor is why he is such a valuable talent.
The Warriors have the highest payroll in the league and they have been the highest paying team for years now. Cap room and spending has always been a concern for the Warriors, which has led to discussions about what the future will look like for this team, specifically in regards to their All-Star talents and who will end up staying long-term.
Stephen Curry is not going anywhere, it does not appear Klay Thompson will be going anywhere and after extending both Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole, the Warriors now have a decision to make about Draymond Green and his future with the team, as Green is only under contract through the 2023-24 season, that is assuming he opts into his $27.5 million deal for next season.
Green has been a player many outside of the Warriors’ organization have pointed to as potentially being the “odd man out” in Golden State, but the Warriors have shown no willingness to part ways with their veteran forward and Green envisions himself remaining with the Warriors for the longevity of his career.
In an interview with Andscape’s Marc J. Spears, Green talked about rumors suggesting he wants to join the Los Angeles Lakers, as well as what playing with the Warriors means to him.
“I’ve been in this uniform for 11 years. I don’t know anything else,” Green said. “So, to say, ‘You’re not happy?’ I don’t know anything else. The same thing that I’ve known for the last 11 years is my reality. And that is what I know. That is what I understand.”
In regards to his time with the Warriors and potentially staying with Golden State past his current contract, Green did not hold back his wish of playing for just one team through his entire career.
“It’s incredible when you look at the amount of guys who’ve played for only one team,” Green said. “You can look around the NBA right now. There are five guys that’s been on a team for 11 years-plus. We have three of them [along with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson]. It’s a very rare thing. There’s 470, 480 players in the NBA? There are five guys that’s been with his team for 11 years plus. That’s amazing. So, you don’t just give that away. So, absolutely I’d be interested in that.”
Having a player option for next season, it will be interesting to see if Green opts out of his contract in favor of reaching a new, higher-paying agreement with the Warriors or if he opts in ahead of becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2024.
“If you had the opportunity to, you relish that opportunity. But in saying that, I do understand that this is a business,” Green added. “And ultimately, decisions have to be made. I have to make decisions, and you take them as they may. But for me, I’m focused on the season. I’m focused on winning. We let those things play out the way they’re going to play out. Because one thing is for certain, is they play out with time, and time is going to continue to pass. And so, I focus on the present and what I can do right now for this team.
“All that stuff can happen when it happens.”
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