Should the Golden State Warriors consider trading Green and Thompson?
By Ronald Moody
Every great dynasty must come to an end. The Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers dynasties immediately come to mind. Both teams had to make crucial decisions by either giving an ultimatum that led to The Last Dance or trading away an unhappy superstar expecting a bigger payday. Instead of settling for the present, the Golden State Warriors front office must think ahead.
The organization possesses a solid core of championship-tested veterans and promising young talent. However, is it time for general manager Bob Myers to consider moving perennial All-Stars Draymond Green and Klay Thompson?
The Golden State Warriors owner, Joe Lacob, paid a staggering and historic luxury tax of $170 million for a massive $346 million payroll, the largest in the NBA. Four starters, Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Thompson, and Green, will be paid over $148 million for the upcoming season. Which begs the question, how much longer can this dynasty continue?
The main priority for the front office is signing 23-year-old guard Jordan Poole to a rookie contract extension and then shifting to unsettled contract extension talks with Wiggins, Green, and Thompson.
During the summer, Green candidly spoke about a new deal since his current one expires at the end of the 2022-23 season. He is seeking a maximum extension of $164 million for five years. Thompson’s contract expires next year with two years left on his current deal. His contract for 2022-23 is worth $40.6 million this season and will increase to $43 million the following season.