5 upcoming free agents playing for a new deal in the NBA Playoffs

1. Draymond Green

Similarly to Khris Middleton, Draymond Green is an aging veteran with a player option in the final year of his contract. He is set to make nearly $28 million if he chooses to play out the final year of his deal with the Warriors.

At age 33, Draymond Green said he wants to play four or five more seasons in the NBA. Will he finish out his career with the Warriors? Green has been a foundational piece of one of the greatest dynasties in sports history.

A four-time NBA champion, two-time All-NBA selection, seven-time All-Defensive player, and former Defensive Player of the Year, he has built quite the resume. However, he also has developed quite a reputation along the way as one of the more emotional players in the league.

Tied with Dillon Brooks this season for the league’s most technical fouls, Green wears his heart on his sleeve. While it has cost him and the Warriors at times, most notably his suspension in the 2016 NBA Finals arguably costing them a championship, it has also played a large role in their four titles.

He was just recently suspended in the opening round of this year’s NBA Playoffs for stomping on Domantas Sabonis’ chest. While the Warriors were able to survive without him for a game and win without him, it makes you wonder just how much more of these antics they can take.

The Warriors just chose to give massive contracts to the likes of Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins instead of Green this past offseason following their last most recent championship. And, possibly with contract envy as a contributing factor, Draymond Green aggressively punched Jordan Poole during a team practice.

The Warriors and any team who potentially pursues him understand they must take the good with the bad when it comes to Draymond Green. We have also never seen Draymond Green play without Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and the Warriors system. Can his game translate to winning with another franchise?

Green averaged 8.5 points per game to go along with 7.2 rebounds, and 6.8 assists this season. He also finished fourth in this year’s Defensive Player of the Year voting, showing he still can dominate that end of the floor on a nightly basis.

Going into his age-34 season, is any team going to want to commit a large sum of money to an aging veteran who comes with baggage like Draymond Green?

Is his contribution to team success with the Warriors enough to warrant taking a chance on this late in his career? Are the demonstrative actions of Green too much for a team to overlook at this stage in his career?

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