The Warriors may not have long to figure out what Draymond Green still looks like in their 2026-27 rotation.
Golden State already has enough moving parts before the season even starts. Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody are set to open the year sidelined, which leaves two would-be starters out of the mix. That opens the door for younger pieces like Yaxel Lendeborg and Gui Santos to carve out bigger roles, and it also leaves the team with a live early question in the backcourt between Brandin Podziemski and De'Anthony Melton next to Stephen Curry.
But the most delicate situation could be Green.
The Warriors were already willing to entertain the idea of moving him at last season’s trade deadline in a possible deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo. That possibility feels even more real now that Green waived his implicit no-trade clause on the one-year, $27.7 million deal that brought him back to Golden State after they lost the LeBron James sweepstakes.
At 36, Green is carrying a salary that is tough to square if his play keeps sliding. And if a rough start forces him to the bench, the bigger question becomes whether the Warriors can justify keeping him on the roster at all.
The timing matters here. Green won’t even be trade-eligible until Dec. 15 because he signed a new deal this offseason, so this isn’t about Golden State shopping him immediately. It’s about what the first two months of the season reveal.
That stretch will be crucial as the Warriors sort out life without Butler and Moody. Lendeborg looked ready to push for a starting job after a strong Summer League showing, and his perimeter shooting could help keep Green on the floor even if the veteran’s offense doesn’t bounce back.
Still, the numbers from last season don’t offer much comfort. In 68 games in 2025-26, Green averaged 8.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists while shooting 41.8% from the field, his lowest mark since his rookie season in 2012-13. His impact on defense also appeared to dip as he lost a step.
And Green may not just be looking over his shoulder at Butler’s eventual return. Santos made a strong late-season push, averaging 15.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and four assists while shooting 50% from the field from Feb. 1 onward. He showed real growth as an on-ball creator and interior scorer, and if Golden State needs more offense early, it would not be shocking to see Lendeborg and Santos together in the frontcourt.
That’s what makes Green’s situation so tricky. If he’s on the bench by December, the idea of moving him starts to look a whole lot more appealing.
Golden State wants him to earn that extension. The problem is he may not have much time to prove he still belongs in the middle of everything.
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That matters because Santos showed enough down the stretch last season to get the Warriors attention, and now the challenge is translating that momentum into a larger role in a crowded roster. Golden State has veteran experience and fresh additions in the mix, but Santos decision to stay put suggests the team sees a path for him to be more than a fringe contributor if he keeps building on what he flashed before. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Suddenly Have Two Intriguing Young Options For Open Roster Spots
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There may also be a fresh opportunity to add more youth to the mix. A five-team trade involving the Washington Wizards has put Cam Whitmore and Julian Reese into the conversation as possible camp candidates, and both would fit the kind of low-risk, upside swing the Warriors have shown interest in before. For a team trying to balance immediate needs with long-term flexibility, those open roster spots could wind up being more competitive than they looked a few days ago. [Read more 🡒]