Long-time Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green is in his 14th season with the team, but his future with the franchise remains up in the air. After all, the Warriors attempted to trade for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo at the trade deadline.
That deal would have likely included Draymond. Of course, that never happened. However, a blockbuster deal could still happen this summer. Draymond can become a free agent after this season, but fortunately for the Warriors, he has a $27.6 million player option that he may soon opt into.
That could actually prove to be both good and bad for the Warriors. Let me explain: good in the sense that they could use his salary as a matching salary in a trade for Giannis. On the other hand, it's bad in the sense that Draymond could be opting in only to be traded.
Draymond Green on his $27.6 million player option: “Maybe you opt out and do a longer deal. Maybe you opt in and extend...(But) I won’t misuse it. I won't abuse it. I never have. You don't get 14 years out of place if you were abusing it."https://t.co/NI4YuLgHtl
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 1, 2026
Draymond Green's days with the Warriors might be numbered
That wouldn't be a great look for the Warriors. After all, they would be shipping out the second-longest-tenured player in franchise history after he agreed to come back.
Nevertheless, given how desperately Golden State needs another star to pair with Stephen Curry, Draymond's days with the Warriors might be numbered. Remember, the Warriors have transitioned from a dual timeline with three stars and several promising young prospects to having one of the oldest teams in the NBA.
Young players such as James Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga failed to plan out, and the Warriors ended up going in the opposite direction. Curry, Draymond, Al Horford, and Jimmy Butler are all at least 36 years old, while Kristaps Porzingis is 30 years old and has a long history of injury.
Trading Green this summer may make the Warriors contenders
Unsurprisingly, Golden State has struggled with injuries this season. The only real way for this team to get better in the short term is with a big trade, and Giannis is the most likely option.
Sacrificing Draymond to make that happen may be necessary if it makes them a legit contender and provides them someone to build around in the short term. Giannis is 30 years old himself.
Nevertheless, he may still be able to play at a high level for the next several seasons, making a trade worth it for Golden State. The same can't be said for Draymond, who is still a very useful player to be sure but doesn't provide nearly the same impact he once did.
Therefore, if the decision is made to trade Draymond in order to acquire Giannis, the Warriors should not hesitate to do so, no matter how difficult it may be.