Draymond Green is a free agent next year, and the Golden State Warriors will have a tough time finding the salary cap space to pay him what he will ask. On the other hand, the Detroit Pistons will have lots of money to throw at the Michigan native.
If you were told the Pistons and the Golden State Warriors could get into a bidding war, and that Detroit has a good chance to win it, you might not believe it.
But this is the new, improving Pistons, seen as a team on the rise. They also will soon have a Grand Canyon size opening in salary cap space.
Draymond Green is reportedly looking right now for a contract extension.
The Warriors have a bunch of players who helped lead them to the NBA championship soon becoming extension eligible. Green, Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole and Klay Thompson are among those who will need to have their contracts renewed in the next year or so.
Even the seemingly never ending pocketbook of owner Joe Lacob seemingly does have a limit.
John Hollinger, a former Memphis Grizzlies executive, wrote for The Athletic (PAID SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED) that if the Warriors extended everyone that is eligible, and strictly basketball-wise, they should, their payroll for the 2023-24 season would be $564 million.
To put that in perspective, the Warriors payroll this past year was $184 million, and that was the highest in the NBA.
Green is currently on a four-year, $99.6 million contract that expires in 2024, However, the final year is a player option. He can decline the option and, in theory, sign a max extension for four years and $138 million
Green can sign the new deal as soon as August 3, and reportedly wants to. The only problem is, the Warriors have indicated they have no intention of doing so. That could upset Draymond.
The 6-6 forward/center has helped them win four titles in eight years after all, probably thinks it would be disrespecting him not to offer the max to him.
Technically, he has two years left on his contract, so maybe Golden State feels there is time. But will Green wait, risk injury, and worry if he is going to be tossed aside for one of the highly drafted youngsters, like James Wiseman or Jonathan Kuminga, who play a similar position.
For those who don’t know, the Warriors are the only team Green has ever played for outside of the state of Michigan.
He won two state championships at Saginaw High and then played four years for Tom Izzo at Michigan State. The talkative Green has spoken about how he still follows his local team, the Pistons.
Could the Detroit Pistons make a real run at Draymond Green, and do they want to?
Keep in mind, Green will not be available until this year but the following season, 2023-24, But that fits perfectly with the Pistons timeline.
By then, Cade Cunningham will be entering his third NBA season, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart and Killian Hayes will be getting ready for their fourth. Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren will no longer be rookies, having a year under their belt (although Duren still will not be old enough to drink).
The team will have been ‘restored’. General manager Troy Weaver has hinted that the 23-24 season is when Detroit intends to go all-out to win. No more rebuilding, no more tanking, simply trying to knock off Boston and Milwaukee and win the East.
Although they are no longer wet behind the ears, the Pistons players will still be young. They could use an experienced player who does the little things right and knows how to win championships. Weaver has always said he wants veterans on the team.
Hey, Draymond Green fills the bill perfectly. When he talks (and he does like to tall), players listen.
Coach Dwane Casey prizes defense and Green is a great defensive player. He is also super-tough, Green would have fit in well with the Pistons ‘Bad Boys’ and 2004 ‘Goin to Work’ crew.
And Detroit should have plenty of salary cap space to pay him. It is obviously way early, but the Pistons are projected by Spotrac to have $90 million in cap space that year.
Weaver could offer Green a max deal quite easily and put the pressure on the way-way-way over the cap Warriors. Steph Curry would not be happy to lose one of his long-time teammates, and would probably let ownership know.
Would Draymond Green really pick the Pistons over Warriors?
In the perfect world, Draymond Green would want to stay with the Warriors, why wouldn’t he? But if he not being offered what he believes is a fair deal, coming home to Michigan would be an attractive alternative.
Balling with a bunch of young, talented but playoff inexperienced players, he would see as a challenge. He is 32, so Green probably grew up dreaming of wearing that teal Pistons jersey with the horse on it (whether you like it or not).
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Green would fill a similar role to what Ben Wallace did on the 2004 championship team, not much scoring but a lot of rebounds, pick-setting and great defense.
Draymond Green coming to Detroit would signal the Pistons were back, with big names wanting to join the team.’
The Warriors would be the favorites to retain Green, the owners will be under a lot of pressure to keep him from fans and older players, but the Pistons could begin to make their mark as a destination for players looking to contend, if they got the Saginaw native.
Golden State has one more year where most of the components that won its latest NBA title are still around. But, after that, some guys are going to have to go, and the Pistons could take advantage.