In the aftermath of Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins' contract extensions, questions regarding Draymond Green's own Warriors contract situation took center stage.
Despite speculation regarding Golden State's ability to retain Green, with the Warriors' astronomical tax bill looming, ESPN's senior NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski says it's entirely possible for the 32-year-old to remain in the Bay Area past this season.
"Now for Draymond Green with that $27.5 million option next season, almost assuredly he's going to exercise that," Wojnarowski told Malika Andrews on Monday's episode of "NBA Today." "Not sure that money is going to be -- in a long-term deal in his mid-30s -- available in the marketplace."
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Wojnarowski states that Green's next contract "probably" will be worth less than $28 million annually but argues that if the Warriors are winning and Green continues to be a productive player, he could see the veteran forward staying with Golden State.
The insider said that owner Joe Lacob's willingness to dive deeper into the luxury tax in order to keep Golden State competitive might play a role in negotiations as well.
"I think there is a lot of time left for the Warriors and Draymond Green to make that decision but certainly, I think, the opt-in on his contract next summer is probably the most likely scenario," Wojnarowski concluded.
As it stands, Green is slated to make $25.8 million in the 2022-23 NBA season and $27.5 million next season, should he opt in. If he opts out following this season, Green will be an unrestricted free agent.
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That said, while Green is a very effective player in the Warriors' system, other teams might be dissuaded from giving the forward a massive long-term deal due to his inconsistent shooting from 3-point land and his injury history in recent years.
Nevertheless, Green's defensive ability remains top-notch, and teams looking for a player that can do almost everything on the court could be willing to pay that price.
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Regardless, it will be interesting to see how Green performs this season.
If Warriors general manager Bob Myers' preseason prediction is any indication, expect Green to be at the top of his game from the jump, especially with free agency potentially waiting for him at the end of this season.
