The Golden State Warriors had their chance to make the splashiest move of the offseason. Or maybe they never did.
But at least in theory, Draymond Green's decision to opt out of his $27.7 million player option for 2026-27 opened the door for the Warriors to sign LeBron James. Whether he ever truly considered Golden State as a destination is painfully beyond the point.
James ultimately chose the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Warriors are now left needing to fill out their four remaining roster spots over three weeks into free agency.
One of those roster spots will almost certainly go to Green. And now that the James saga has ended, Golden State is left with no choice but to sacrifice much of their remaining financial flexibility to the veteran forward. Unless they can find the right sort of deal to convince him to make another sacrifice, it's their only real option.
Draymond Green is likely coming for his check as Warriors negotiations officially open
Of course, Green is technically an unrestricted free agent. He's free to negotiate with other teams, and as a result, there will certainly be some speculation surrounding his departure this offseason.
But the reason he opted out of his contract was not pure charity to Golden State. Green wanted the opportunity to play with James and to maximize the Warriors' chances at contention. Would he do the same if he were asked to knock a couple million off his salary so the Warriors could add a player beyond the veteran minimum? Probably not.
As Joe Vardon and David Aldridge at The Athletic reported, the Warriors are expected to sign Green to a one-year deal that comes close to what he was owed by his player option— nearly $28 million. That, frankly, is an overpay for what Green can provide production-wise at this point in his career.
His offensive numbers dropped across the board last season— he averaged just 8.4 points and shot 41.8% from the field across 68 games— and his defensive decline, while slow, is certainly coming.
But ultimately, the Warriors have no choice other than to pay Green what he's owed. It's the expectation that Green's sacrifice created when he made it in the first place.
In theory, we can talk about how he can walk to another team, or there might be a trade available at mid-season when his contract becomes eligible. But until further notice, Golden State has no other options. Green will be coming for his check, and the Warriors have put themselves in a position where they have to deliver.
