Report: Draymond Green won’t take discount on next contract

Draymond Green left money on the table on his last contract, but he doesn’t intend to do the same on his next one.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green took a discount when he signed a five-year, $82 million deal in 2015 after winning his first championship. Green did this with an eye on signing Kevin Durant the following summer, per ESPN’s Chris Haynes, though the brash forward kept that to himself before playing a key role in recruiting Durant following the Warriors’ devastating 2016 NBA Finals loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Golden State has since won two championships with Durant, with Green taking home Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2017. Green has two years, $36 million left on his contract and is now eligible for a three-year, $72 million extension that would begin in 2020-21.

However, Haynes reports that Green has no intention of signing that extension and will not be taking a discount on his next contract. This makes sense given the 28-year-old will be eligible for a five-year, $226 million super-max deal if he garners MVP, Defensive Player of the Year or All-NBA honors next season.

Even if Green doesn’t hit super-max criteria, he has little reason to take a discount. He’s a second-round pick who has sacrificed money already and helped form a dynasty, so expecting to be repaid fully is more than reasonable.

But would the Warriors be willing to pay up as Green hits 30 years old and their payroll continues to explode? While Green is an emotional leader, defensive anchor and offensive playmaker, there are some concerns about how he’ll age. He’s racking up a lot of miles often playing as an undersized center while making deep playoff runs. His effort and basketball IQ will help him as he gets older, but losing a step at his size could be problematic. His 3-point shooting has also dipped significantly the last two seasons after he shot nearly 39 percent in 2015-16.

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Golden State has no plans to break up its four All-Stars in the near future, per The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami, but things can change quickly in the NBA. If the Warriors falter in the coming years, perhaps they look to make a big move. That could mean a run at Anthony Davis in a trade, which could mean the end of Green in Golden State. The potential development of Jordan Bell as a Draymond Lite could also play a factor in Green’s future.

If the Warriors keep winning, though, or if no upgrade like Davis is attainable, paying Green the big bucks and dealing with that contract wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. It may not be a “light years ahead” move, but Green has earned every penny and could very well still be an impact player as he hits the other side of 30.