Four-time champion Draymond Green addresses the media on his contract situation with the Golden State Warriors.
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Back from his short sabbatical, Draymond Green didn’t hesitate to take any questions head-on as he sat down with the media. The former DPOY faces the toughest challenge of his career as he gears up for the 2022-23 season, still reeling from the punching incident involving teammate Jordan Poole.
In what could be described as a crisis situation, the Warriors management has a lot of work to do in order to ensure their top-class culture remains intact. While Green may have publicly tendered an apology for his actions, this may not be enough to get himself the clean chit.
Despite being eligible for an extension, Green will have to work his way up, given his actions off-late. With a $60 million net worth, many believe this might be the former DPOY’s last ride with Dub Nation. Nonetheless, the 32-year-old is ready to prove his naysayers wrong, solely looking to focus on defending the championship.
Also read: “Jordan Poole’s a Professional and I’m a Professional”: Draymond Green Addresses Media Post Hiatus
With there being a lot of murmur surrounding his contract situation, Green would finally address the subject during his recent media interaction.
Draymond Green breaks his silence on the contract situation.
Green, who has a player option next season, remains unaffected, with reports suggesting he may not be on the payroll of the Warriors soon. The former Michigan State player had signed a 4-year $99 million deal with Golden State during the 2020-21 season.
Green is walking on thin ice post the punching incident involving teammate Jordan Poole. Nevertheless, the Warriors forward would finally close the lid on the matter, saying the following when asked about his contract situation.
Having learned from the experiences of his peers, Green does not want his contract situation to be a constant topic of discussion during the upcoming season.
Will Draymond Green join close friend LeBron James in LA?
Amid reports of Green not possibly getting an extension anytime soon, a narrative of the veteran forward joining forces with close friend LeBron James in LA has been playing out in the media.
Recently, veteran analyst Stephen A. Smith had the following to say about Green’s contract situation and how Poole and Wiggins were a priority for the Warriors.
“I can tell you right now, (Andrew) Wiggins and Poole are a priority,” said the ESPN personality. “I can tell you right now that Draymond Green is expecting this to be his last year in Golden State. Now, he wanna be a Laker. He ain’t gonna tell anybody that, but don’t think I don’t know. He’d prefer to be a Laker if he gotta leave Golden State.”
The 54-year-old added,
“But he looking for a payday. He gonna get $25 million this year. He got a player option for $24 million next year. The Warriors are probably hoping he don’t opt in because they’d have to pay him on top of the cats that they know that they gotta pay in Poole and Wiggins.”
However, this might not be as easy as it seems, given the lack of shooting on the Lakers roster, who already have the likes of Patrick Beverley to do what a Green would necessarily do for them.
