As the Golden State Warriors prepare for their offseason strategy and roster construction, they have come up with a risky alternative should they miss out on landing LeBron James.
The Warriors have been considered one of the favorites to land James in free agency, with Draymond Green and Stephen Curry openly pitching for the King to join them.
However, should LeBron decide to join another team, the Warriors have decided what they will do with their remaining cap space.
Golden State Warriors will give Draymond Green the payday he ‘wants’ if LeBron James doesn’t sign
Speaking on NBA Today, ESPN analyst Anthony Slater revealed that the Golden State Warriors and Draymond Green want to continue their partnership for years to come.
In fact, if LeBron James doesn’t join the team, he expects the Warriors to give Draymond Green the $27 million contract he rejected as a player option to make room for James.
“I fully expect him to come back. All expectations are that he’s going to come back. Part of him opting out and giving this $27.6 million player option back was to create the financial flexibility.
“If LeBron came, maybe he would get a two or three-year deal, with a little bit more security. But let’s say LeBron doesn’t come, they can just give Draymond Green a one-year, $27 million offer with a player option.
“That keeps the Warriors’ financial flexibility and gives Draymond Green the payday he wants. The organization and Draymond Green still want to stay together for the entirety of his career.”
Golden State Warriors targeting stability in the years to come.
Speaking further during his appearance, Slater revealed that the Warriors do not want to dedicate too many of their assets or their remaining cap space just for the Stephen Curry era.
“Boring. I think, stable. Part of the Warriors’ long-term plan is post-Steph right now. I know Steve Kerr came back, and there’s this belief that they’re going to throw all the picks, and it’s all about the next couple of years. It’s not really all about the next couple of years.
“Think about the way they have kept their books extremely clear. Beyond this season, they only have $34.9 million committed. They have a lot of optionality, flexibility, and they can go after future stars…”
It’s clear that the Warriors know that the Stephen Curry era is about to come, and are planning for the future accordingly.
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