In the last year of his contract with Golden State, Draymond Green had a myopic perspective of what lies ahead for him with the Warriors during a press conference Thursday.
Green, 32, has a player option for next season worth $27.5 million. He could opt out of that in search of a longer term contract, something that may be less available to him if he plays out the 2023-24 season with Golden State.
Asked about whether the ongoing drama surrounding him punching teammate Jordan Poole during a practice, the forward said he’s focused on winning a fifth Larry O’Brien.
“My general view of my future here is I’m here this year trying to win a championship,” Green said Thursday. “I have a contract that ranges through next year. If I so choose to pick up that option, then that is my view of how it’ll be here. We all have a goal to win a championship, and that is that.”
Green averaged 7.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game last season. He anchored a Warriors defense and was especially valuable in the Finals against Boston.
The four-time All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year said he doesn’t plan on letting his uncertain contract status affect Golden State’s title defense.
“As far as what I think of a contract or an extension, we’re starting a season,” Green said. “I spoke on that at the very beginning and said I don’t think we’ll do an extension. Quite frankly, that doesn’t mean that I won’t be back here, I just don’t think we’ll do an extension this year. And so I said that at the beginning of camp, that’s not something I’m going to talk about all year. We’ve got a championship to win, I’m not one to let conversations about my future or what I’m going to do next year or what someone else is going to do — I don’t get off into that. I don’t like to let contract drama linger.”
Poole, meanwhile, could get a major contract extension before the season begins. Rookie-scale extensions, of which Poole is eligible for, must be signed by Oct. 17. Heat guard Tyler Herro recently inked one worth four years, $120 million; Poole could be in line for more.
Forward Andrew Wiggins, who played a pivotal role in last year’s playoffs, is also set to hit free agency at the end of this year. The contracts could loom over a Golden State franchise already $39 million deep into the luxury tax.
But expiring contracts are a reality of the NBA. Preventing them from clouding over a team, Green said, is possible.
“Quite frankly, what other people do with their contracts — if you’re going to let a contract situation linger, then you better be damn sure you’re willing to handle all the effects of a contract lingering, that it can have on a team,” Green said. “And quite frankly, everybody don’t do that. We’ve seen LeBron James have contract situations, Steph Curry have contract situations, and they handle it. They handle it the way it’s supposed to be handled. You can’t say that for everyone.”