Draymond Green‘s contract extension is a victory for both sides, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. The Warriors and Green avoided a potential free agency drama next summer by agreeing to a four-year, $99.6MM extension that will run through the 2023/24 season.
Slater calls the agreement a “team-friendly extension” for Golden State, considering that Green would have qualified for a five-year, $201MM deal next summer and could have become eligible for a $235MM super-max contract by earning Defensive Player of the Year honors. Green opted for the security of having a huge deal in place and securing a long-term future with the Warriors.
Slater cites a Summer League conversation with a Golden State assistant coach who said the team was looking forward to having “Contract Year Draymond,” implying that he would be extra motivated to have a huge season with free agency awaiting. Although the Warriors will miss out on that, they now have the comfort of knowing that Green, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson will all be together for a few more years.
There’s more from the Bay Area:
- The agreement minimizes future risks for both Green and the organization, writes Danny Leroux of The Athletic. After this summer’s spending spree, most of the teams that can open cap space next July are a long way from contention. Leroux identifies the Hawks, with former Warriors executive Travis Schlenk as GM, as the most intriguing team that could have made a serious run at Green. From Golden State’s perspective, with Curry and Thompson already combining for $78.4MM in 2020/21, there wouldn’t have been much available cap space to replace Green if he had left.
- The extension shows the Warriors aren’t willing to give up their place as one of the elite teams in the West, observes Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. There’s an edict from ownership to remain competitive despite the loss of Kevin Durant in free agency and a torn ACL that will sideline Thompson for most of the upcoming season.
- After years of surrounding their stars with veterans, the Warriors emerged from the offseason shakeup as one of the league’s youngest teams, notes Nick Friedell of ESPN. DeMarcus Cousins, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston are all gone, with a group of rookies and unproven players hoping to take their places. “We went from one of the oldest teams in the league to one of the youngest,” assistant GM Kirk Lacob said. “All of a sudden you look at it and Steph is the oldest player on the whole team. Klay and Draymond are the elder statesmen. I think Alfonzo McKinnie (26) may be our fourth-oldest player by age. He’s only had a couple years of NBA experience.”
- The Warriors will look to the Spurs as a blueprint as they navigate their new situation, Friedell adds. San Antonio has managed to reach the playoffs every year after the losing the core of its championship teams. Coach Steve Kerr is part of Gregg Popovich’s staff on the FIBA World Cup team.
“One of the elite teams in the West”??
How about 5-time champions??
The article said oddsmakers have put them 6th in the WC. Geez D’lo isn’t THAT bad!
Even if they do finish that low, they will still be a playoff threat. I have them in the 4-left level with Denver.
I think there’s not much dropoff from “contract-year Draymond” and his-place-secured-Draymond. The former may have burned himself out by playoff time!
If the Warriors have the space with being hard-capped, this could be a good spot for Melo. Obviously, you need to tell him straight out that he is only going to be brought in to come off the bench and that he needs to bring it on the defensive end. Right now the only other options at the 4 behind Draymond is Spellman and Paschall, which doesn’t inspire confidence.
GSW has less than 500k left under the hard cap, and only one non-guaranteed contract (McKinney). They can sign no one for that, except to 10 day contract (maybe?).
Regardless, they need defense. Carmelo is not the answer.
Do you watch basketball? Why would the dubs need a guy who can’t defend?
Much less, you have no idea how’s the new players will even provide much defense either.
Right now, the Warriors have Looney, Jerebko, and Spellman that are all more than capable of playing the 4…
I, personally, like Looney as a pick n roll 5, but he could still play the 4 well if need be.
Regardless, with WCS and Bogut, the Warriors won’t really need their 4’s to be big defensive presences. They’ll just need to be role players that can rebound well, slash, and finish at the rim. Also, don’t be surprised to see Spellman have a very solid season in the Warriors system.
Jerebko is no longer on the team and Is be surprised if you saw Looney playing much 4 at all. I think it’ll be Paschall, Spellman and McKinnie getting the non-Green minutes at the 4.