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While Draymond Green Deliberates $27,586,225 Decision, Clip of Klay Thompson Attributing His and Stephen Curry’s Success To Former DPOY Resurfaces

Advait Jajodia
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While Draymond Green Deliberates $27,586,225 Decision, Clip of Klay Thompson Attributing His and Stephen Curry's Success To Former DPOY Resurfaces

Drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 2012 as a 2nd round pick, Draymond Green was not expected to be the 4-time All-Star he’s turned into. However, constantly improving on both sides of the floor, Dray has arguably been as valuable as Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, having helped the San Francisco-based franchise win 4 championships. The former Defensive Player of the Year is expected to decline his $27.58 million contract option. Amid the talks of Green becoming a free agent, an old clip of Thompson attributing the forward for the organization’s success has resurfaced on social media.

Back in 2019, Dray signed a 4-year, $99.6 million contract extension. While a few seasons after the signing had been a colossal failure for Steve Kerr and Co., Green’s brilliant defense helped Golden State win the 2022 championship.

Ever since the Jordan Poole-Green fiasco took place before the 2022-2023 season, the Warriors’ chemistry began crumbling. As time passed by, insiders became more confident that the 6-foot-6 leader would opt out of the $27,586,225 player option and not try to push for another run at the title with the Splash Brothers.

“Draymond Green allows me and Stephen Curry to play off the ball”:  Klay Thompson

Almost a year ago, Klay made an appearance on Serge Ibaka’s “How Hungry Are You?” podcast. During the 25-minute long must-see episode, the sharpshooter also spoke about Draymond’s impact.

Of course, Green is the team’s defensive backbone. But Thompson also shed light upon Dray’s immeasurable value on the offensive end. Further, apart from revealing how the Splash Brothers would rely on him to get their open shots, the 6-foot-6 shooting guard told Ibaka:

“Draymond is one of the greatest assist men in sports because he does that thing where he flips it to you and he throws his body immediately into your defender. Me and Steph rely on him and our bigs to get open a lot.

Draymond, when he came and Coach put him in a starting lineup, he’s got such an edge to him he might not be the most skilled player out there but he will do anything and everything he can to win the game. Whether that’s getting under the opponent’s skin, or diving for a loose ball.

I have a ton of respect for Draymond… He allows me and Steph to play off the ball and he can run the point.”

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Apart from being a smart player, Green is also a valuable asset for his leadership.

Of course, his behavior in the entire Poole incident is inexcusable. However, he has been a great mentor for several youngsters such as Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, James Wiseman, and Nico Mannion, among other players over the years.

“Want to be a Warrior for the rest of my life”: Green

Following the defending champions’ WCSF loss against the Los Angeles Lakers, a destination where Green is now expected to go, the 11-year veteran spoke about his contract.

In the postgame interview, Green made it pretty clear that he wanted to retire as a Warrior if possible.

However, he later disclosed that he was not going to make any decision without consulting his friend and agent, Rich Paul.

“Obviously, I have a player option. My agent, Rich Paul, is the best in the business and we have not had the opportunity yet to sit down and discuss any future things.”

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Of course, Dub Nation wouldn’t want the All-Star trio to break up. However, Bob Myers’ exit could result in several changes in the roster.

About the author

Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia

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Advait Jajodia, a seasoned NBA journalist, has had a passion for the game for over a decade. His journey from admiring Kobe Bryant's precision to being in awe of Stephen Curry's long-range mastery instilled a profound understanding of basketball. With a background as a two-time National-level player, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood to offer insightful analysis. Over three years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 21-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 3,350+ articles.

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