Warriors' Draymond Green enters unrestricted free agency after declining player option

On Monday morning, roughly a week after the end of the 2022-23 NBA season, NBA insider Shams Charania reported that longtime GSW forward Draymond Green will decline his player option for the 2023-24 season and become an unrestricted free agent.

Here was that report, which Charania tweeted:

“Golden State Warriors four-time NBA champion Draymond Green is declining his $27.5 million player option for 2023-24 season and will enter unrestricted free agency, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told @TheAthletic @Stadium.”

Some pretty shocking news for the Warriors. But given their current salary cap situation with having to pay Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins and Green all big money, it was likely they’d have to part with someone this offseason.

But don’t rule out a return to Golden State for Draymond, according to Adrian Wojnarowski. He reported that Rich Paul of Klutch says that they “will continue to talk to Golden State and explore all options,” such as a new contract, if the two sides are able to agree on terms.

Woj sent another tweet a couple minutes later adding that Golden State may be interested in bringing Green back on a new contract after all. He reports: “The Warriors have been motivated to sign Green on a new deal.”

It’s hard to see a path for Golden State bring Green back for a similar or higher price than they paid last season unless they make some major moves around him or settle for massively over-paying a roster that wasn’t really a contender. Before the Green opt-out, they were already more than $100 million in the hole for 2024 and were staring an enormous luxury tax bill in the face. And now, they may have to guarantee even more money to an aging Green going forward?

There’s just a lot of puzzle pieces to figure out with the salary cap situation in San Fran, especially with the restraints and punishments on luxury tax spending set to kick in with the new CBA in the coming years. It’s hard to imagine they’ll be able to keep paying Curry and Thompson roughly $95 million a year, and then Green-Wiggins-Poole for another 80.

We’ll see how the dice land as the summer progresses. Green is currently a free agent, but per Woj, a reunion with Golden State it looking pretty likely. Is Poole next to go after a tough playoffs, perhaps? The only certainty is that this offseason is far from over for the four-time champs.