Draymond Green is turning down his $27.7 million player option, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, and that move could reshape the Warriors’ offseason in a big way.
Green is now technically a free agent, but the expectation is that he will re-sign with Golden State on a multiyear deal. The key wrinkle is that the new contract is expected to carry a lower 2026-27 salary than the one he would have had by simply opting in.
That matters because it gives the Warriors more room to work. With Green declining the option, Golden State could have the flexibility to use the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, worth $15 million, on LeBron James, who remains their top free-agent target.
There’s more going on behind the scenes, too. It has also been reported that the Warriors are exploring a trade of Jimmy Butler for Anthony Davis, James’s longtime teammate, as part of their effort to lure James to the Bay.
The decision from Green lines up with the idea that James’s situation is still unresolved. If James were fully locked in on staying with the Lakers, it would make sense for Rich Paul, who represents both James and Green, to push Green toward opting in and taking the bigger payday.
Green’s choice does not mean James is headed to Golden State. But it does suggest James may not have made up his mind yet.
Even if James ends up somewhere else, the Warriors still come out ahead from Green’s move. If Green signs a deal with an average annual value around $18 million, Golden State should be able to re-sign Kristaps Porzingis and still have enough flexibility to use the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
That would also boost the Warriors’ chances of landing Anfernee Simons or Collin Sexton, both of whom are expected to be candidates for that exception.
Green’s play last season was described as disappointing enough that the Warriors should at least be considering whether to use his salary in a trade. If he had opted in, Golden State could have moved him right away.
By declining the option and agreeing to a new deal, he blocks that path for a while. He won’t be eligible to be traded for a few months.
So the decision costs Green money, but it also gives him some protection from being dealt.
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