The Golden State Warriors aren’t afraid to spend money. They are the defending champs, after all, and have become a top three most valuable franchise in the NBA.
Paying Draymond Green upwards of $140 million through a max contract extension may not be the way Warriors’ brass will be willing to shell out their cash, though. At leas that’s according to a report from Marcus Thompson and Anthony Slater of the Athletic.
Green will be taking in the green next season, to the tune of $25.8 million and has a player option of $27.6 million the following season. But he wants more.
If extended, Green would make $167 million over the next five seasons. The contract would also expire when the Michigan State product is 37 years old. The question now becomes; are the Warriors willing to pay what many believe to be the heart and soul of a dynastic team?
According to the Athletic, when it comes to the reigning Finals MVP in Stephen Curry, he “would not be happy if the Warriors lost Green because the team didn’t want to pay him.”
Last season, the Warriors paid a league record, $346 million in luxury taxes and players penalties but by paying Green, that number could be catapulted in to the $400 million range — too high for Warriors’ ownership.
The Warriors also face the challenge of paying Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole in the near future, which makes the decision on Green that much harder. The good news is that both Poole and Wiggins are under contract until the 2023-24 season, making it possible for the Warriors core to pursue a title defense.
In a perfect world, the Warriors’ would be able to pay and retain their entire core while simply re-tooling on the role players side of their roster. The only problem is that it’s a perfect world for everyone besides the wallets of Golden State ownership.
