Report: Draymond eyeing max extension; ‘no plans’ for Dubs to offer originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
With two years remaining on his deal, Warriors forward Draymond Green reportedly is determined to land a max contract extension.
Anthony Slater and Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic reported Wednesday, citing sources, that Green “wants and believes he deserves a maximum contract extension from the Warriors” of four years in length. Per the report, it’s Green’s preference to remain in the Bay but he is also “willing to explore his outside options to get the kind of contract he wants.”
Despite Green’s desire, The Athletic reports there isn’t “any current traction” on an extension and the Warriors have no plans to offer him one.
Green, eligible to sign a four-year deal on Aug. 3, is set to be paid $25.8 million and $27.6 million over the next two seasons, the latter being a player option. Since the Warriors don’t see eye-to-eye with his wishes, Green could opt out of his deal for the 2023-24 season and become an unrestricted free agent next summer. He could also demand a trade.
The Warriors are caught in a pickle with their financial situation as heavy contributors to the NBA’s luxury tax. Golden State has big decisions to make in the next couple of years regarding Green, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole, and has already seen role players Gary Payton II and Otto Porter Jr. depart in the offseason due to getting more money elsewhere.
Thompson, like Green, has two years remaining on his deal and will be paid $40.6 million and $43.2 million over the next two seasons. Wiggins is entering the final year of his max extension he signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2017. And 23-year-old Jordan Poole, after showing signs of star potential last season, will be a restricted free agent next summer if the Warriors don’t agree to a rookie-scale extension by Oct. 17.
Although Green wants his four-year extension in the next few weeks — one that would lock him in for $164.2 million over the next five seasons — the Warriors’ front office has preferred to offer extensions with one year remaining on contracts, even with its stars. Steph Curry signed the four-year, $215 million deal last summer with one season left on his previous deal.
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In 46 games last season, Green averaged 7.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. Just like the Warriors’ last three titles, Green was essential in the defensive effort during Golden State’s 2022 championship run.
The Warriors might need to decide on keeping their core of Green, Thompson and Curry intact or building towards the future and investing in Wiggins and Poole. And that decision might need to be made sooner than they wish.