Draymond Green may have participated in his final game for the Golden State Warriors. A player option is included in the veteran’s deal, which he can use this summer to opt out and explore free agency.
Although it’s difficult to see Green wearing anything other than a Golden State Warriors uniform, a few teams have been mentioned as prospective destinations for the four-time NBA champion.
On June 1, Danny Leroux of The Athletic wrote a piece outlining the top free agents this summer. When Leroux got to Green, he listed a few more teams that would be interested in the veteran forward’s services, including the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, and Oklahoma City Thunder.
“Teams looking for an identity on [the defensive] end could not dream of doing better, and even though Green may not have the full burst of his 20s, his intelligence, mobility and length should age reasonably well,” he wrote. “Think about how he would change the trajectory of a team like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets or even the San Antonio Spurs alongside Victor Wembanyama for a few seasons. It could be absolutely astonishing.”
Green has spent all 11 of his NBA seasons with the Warriors, helping them to four NBA titles in the process. In 758 games for the Dubs, he has averaged 8.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 6.8 assists. Green stands out primarily on the defensive side of the ball in addition to his position in the offense of the squad. He won the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award in the 2016–17 campaign and has been chosen to eight All–Defensive teams, including the second team this season.
Warriors Can’t Afford to Lose Draymond Green
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Green’s future with the Dubs at the moment, most people agree that the team should put his retention first.
In a recent piece outlining Golden State’s top goals for the offseason, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley emphasized the significance of having the 33-year-old around, referring to him as “one of one,” and labeling him “one of one.”
“Talent-wise, he’s one of one,” Buckley wrote. “Has his impact been magnified by sharing the floor with historically elite shooters in [Stephen] Curry and [Klay] Thompson? No doubt. But this partnership is absolutely mutually beneficial. They’ve feasted on a ton of great looks created by Green’s passing, screening and high-level processing.”
If Green were to leave the team this summer, according to Buckley, it would be nearly hard for the Dubs to find a replacement.
“For all the talk over the years about whether Green could be the same player outside this system, there are just as many questions about whether this system could operate without him. Forget the financial challenges of trying to find his replacement, where do you even find another 6’6″, 230-pounder who can quarterback an offense and anchor a defense as both a paint protector and a perimeter-switcher?”
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