With a costly, veteran-heavy roster, what will happen to the Golden State Warriors once they are eliminated from the playoffs this season? What will happen specifically to standout power forward/center Draymond Green, who served two suspensions for different on-court infractions during the 2023–24 season?
According to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, head coach Steve Kerr was blunt when addressing the great defender’s future with the team after Golden State’s season came to an official end this year during a play-in game ousting .
“He gave Jordan [Poole] a punch before the 2022–2023 season,” admitted Kerr. “He took center Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves by the neck. He thrashed at [Jusuf Nurkic, center for the Phoenix Suns]. You can’t do it based only on fundamental social standards and regulations, right? Therefore, Draymond’s suspension by the NBA at that time was the best thing that could have happened to him. It was a career-ending situation. Every day, it is on the line.”
“The complex of Raymond. He has a complicated relationship with our team,” Kerr said. But great loyalty, passion, and love are at its center, and we share it with him. It’s quite difficult to reconcile that. You hardly make an effort to make it work. You support him through it, ensure that he’s the finest version of himself, and never give up.”
Green’s long-range shooting on the court improved dramatically, though mainly when he was left wide open. In 55 regular season games, the four-time All-Star and eight-time All-Defensive Team member averaged 8.6 points on a.497/.395/.730 shooting split, 7.2 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game.
“However, he was the best version of himself for the past three months—not just on the court, but also in the locker room, inspiring the younger players. Everyone on his squad would tell you how excellent he was.”
Green’s four-year, $100 million fully guaranteed contract with the team has ended its first season. He has a player option that would pay him $27.7 million in his age-36 season in 2026–2027. According to Slater, Mike Dunleavy Jr., the current general manager of the Warriors, appears to anticipate keeping Green around this season.
“The complex of Raymond. He has a complicated relationship with our team,” Kerr said. But great loyalty, passion, and love are at its center, and we share it with him. It’s quite difficult to reconcile that. You hardly make an effort to make it work. You support him through it, ensure that he’s the finest version of himself, and never give up.”
