The Golden State Warriors made their first big move of the offseason on Saturday night. Steve Kerr is coming back. A two-year deal. The architect of the dynasty will remain on the bench, leading the franchise that he helped build into a four-time champion.
That’s the good news. The reassurance. The familiar face that makes Warriors fans sleep better at night.
But Kerr’s return is not the only decision facing Golden State this summer. In fact, it might not even be the most complicated one.
Because lurking in the background, waiting for his moment, is Draymond Green.
The veteran forward has until June 29 to decide whether he will pick up or decline his $27.6 million player option for the 2026-27 season. That’s a lot of money for a 36-year-old whose offensive game has never been more limited, but whose defensive genius remains as sharp as ever.
The Warriors, for their part, don’t intend to shop Green or convince him to decline his option. According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, the organization still views Green as “an additive winner with an elite defensive skill set that plays up when the stakes rise.”
Off the court, Slater reports, the Warriors felt Green had “a positive season as a leader, while his acumen and voice essentially make him another assistant coach.”
That’s high praise. But praise doesn’t pay the bills. And $27.6 million is a lot of bills.
Then there’s Jimmy Butler, who is recovering from a torn ACL and whose future with the Warriors is even more uncertain. Butler turns 37 in September. He’s owed $56.8 million next season. He might not be ready to play until November or December.
The Warriors have two aging stars with expiring or option-heavy contracts. They have a 38-year-old Stephen Curry who is still elite but can’t do it alone. And they have a front office that must navigate the treacherous waters of the NBA’s second apron.
Kerr is back. That’s step one.
Step two? Figuring out what to do with Draymond Green.
Let’s break down Green’s options, the Warriors’ thinking, and whether the emotional heart of the dynasty will be in Golden State for a 15th season.
The Contract: What Draymond Green Is Facing
Let’s start with the numbers.
Green has a player option for the 2026-27 season worth $27.6 million. He has until June 29 to decide whether to pick it up or decline it and become a free agent.
If he picks it up, he’s guaranteed that money. He’ll be 36 years old, playing his 15th NBA season, all of them with the Warriors. He’ll be the second-highest-paid player on the roster behind Stephen Curry.
If he declines it, he hits the open market. He could sign with another team. He could sign a longer-term deal with the Warriors at a lower annual salary. He could retire.
It’s a lot of power for a player who averaged just 8.4 points per game last season.
But Green has never been about points. Last season, he averaged 5.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds. He shot 41.8% from the field and 32.6% from three. Those are not impressive numbers for most players. For Green, they’re typical. His value has always been on the other end of the floor.
The On-Court Value: Why the Warriors Still Love Him
Let’s not pretend Draymond Green is washed. He’s not.
At 36, he’s lost a step. He’s not the same player who could guard five positions at an All-Defense level for 35 minutes a night. But he’s still one of the smartest defenders in NBA history. He still quarterbacks the Warriors’ defense like a field general. He still makes plays that don’t show up in box scores.
ESPN’s Anthony Slater captured the Warriors’ thinking perfectly:
“On the court, they still view him as an additive winner with an elite defensive skill set that plays up when the stakes rise.”
That last part is key. “When the stakes rise.” In the playoffs, when every possession matters, Green’s value multiplies. He’s been there. He’s done that. He has four rings. He knows what it takes.
The Warriors don’t have another player like that. Not even close.
The Off-Court Value: Green as “Another Assistant Coach”
Here’s where Green’s value becomes harder to quantify but no less real.
According to Slater, the Warriors felt Green had “a positive season as a leader” off the court, adding that “his acumen and voice essentially make him another assistant coach.”
Think about that. Another assistant coach. On a team that just brought back Steve Kerr – one of the best coaches in NBA history – Green’s basketball IQ is so respected that the organization views him as an extension of the coaching staff.
That matters. In a locker room that has seen significant turnover in recent years – with young players like Brandin Podziemski, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody trying to find their way – having a veteran leader who knows the system, who demands accountability, and who isn’t afraid to speak his mind is invaluable.
Green is that guy. He’s always been that guy. And the Warriors don’t want to lose that.
The $27.6 Million Question: Is He Worth It?
Now for the uncomfortable question: is Draymond Green worth $27.6 million at age 36?
The easy answer is no. In a vacuum, a player who averages 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists does not command that kind of salary. The analytics would tell you that’s an overpay.
But the NBA doesn’t exist in a vacuum. The Warriors are not a normal team. They are a dynasty trying to squeeze out one more title before the Curry era ends. And in that context, Green’s value is not measured by his box-score numbers.
It’s measured by his ability to organize the defense. To set bone-crushing screens. To make the right pass. To keep everyone accountable. To be the emotional engine that drives the team.
Is that worth $27.6 million? For a team with championship aspirations, maybe. For a team that is rebuilding, definitely not.
The Warriors are not rebuilding. They’re reloading. And they believe Green is essential to that reload.
The Butler Complication: Two Aging Stars, One Uncertain Future
Let’s not forget about Jimmy Butler.
Butler tore his ACL in January. He’s rehabbing. He’s expected to return sometime in November or December. He’ll be 37 in September. He’s owed $56.8 million next season.
The Warriors cannot carry both Green at 27.6millionandButlerat27.6millionandButlerat56.8 million without being deep into the second apron. That would severely restrict their ability to add talent, make trades, or sign free agents.
If the Warriors pick up Green’s option, they are committing to a core of Curry (45million),Green(45million),Green(27.6 million), and Butler (56.8million)–over56.8million)–over129 million for three players, all of whom are on the wrong side of 30.
That’s a bet. A big one. And it might not pay off.
The alternative? Let Green walk. Or convince him to decline his option and sign a longer-term deal at a lower annual number – say, three years, 45million(45million(15 million per year). That would save the Warriors $12.6 million in cap space next season and give them more flexibility to build around Curry and Butler.
But that requires Green to agree to take less money. And players rarely agree to take less money.
The Kerr Factor: Why Green’s Return Is More Likely Now
Steve Kerr’s return changes the calculus.
Kerr and Green have been together for over a decade. They’ve won four championships. They’ve been through everything together – the highs of the dynasty, the lows of the injuries, the drama of the Draymond-Kevin Durant feud.
Kerr knows how to coach Green. He knows how to maximize his strengths and minimize his weaknesses. He knows how to handle Green’s emotions, which have sometimes boiled over in ways that hurt the team.
If Kerr were leaving, Green’s future would be much more uncertain. A new coach might not want to deal with Green’s antics. A new system might not fit his unique skill set.
But Kerr is staying. And that makes it much more likely that Green stays, too.
The Green Decision: What He’s Likely to Do
Let’s put ourselves in Draymond Green’s shoes.
He’s 36 years old. He’s made over $150 million in his career. He has four rings. He’s a future Hall of Famer. He doesn’t need the money.
But he loves basketball. He loves winning. And he loves the Warriors.
If Green picks up his $27.6 million option, he’s guaranteed that money for one more season. He can then become a free agent next summer at age 37, when his market will be even smaller.
If he declines his option, he can sign a longer-term deal with the Warriors – perhaps three years, $45 million – that gives him security and gives the Warriors cap flexibility.
The smart move for both sides is for Green to decline the option and sign a new deal at a lower annual number. It keeps Green in Golden State. It gives the Warriors room to operate. And it allows Green to finish his career where it started.
But smart moves and Draymond Green don’t always go together. He’s emotional. He’s unpredictable. He might decide he wants the $27.6 million and the freedom to test free agency next summer.
We’ll know by June 29.
What the Warriors Should Do
Let’s play general manager for a moment.
The Warriors should not pick up Green’s option at $27.6 million. That’s too much money for a 36-year-old role player, even one as impactful as Green.
Instead, they should work with Green on a new deal. Something like three years, 45million.Thatlowershiscaphitto45million.Thatlowershiscaphitto15 million per season – a much more manageable number.
If Green insists on the full $27.6 million, the Warriors should let him walk. It would be painful. It would be emotional. But it would be the right business decision.
The Warriors need cap flexibility. They need to add young talent. They need to build around Curry for one last run. Paying $27.6 million to a 36-year-old who averages 8 points per game is not how you do that.
Steve Kerr is back. That’s the easy decision.
Now comes the hard one: Draymond Green.
The Warriors have until June 29 to figure out what to do with their emotional core. Green has a $27.6 million player option. He can pick it up. He can decline it. He can negotiate a new deal.
The Warriors love Green. They value his defense, his leadership, his basketball IQ. They view him as “another assistant coach” and an “additive winner.”
But $27.6 million is a lot of money for a 36-year-old who scores 8 points a game. And the Warriors have other needs – Jimmy Butler’s health, adding shooting depth, developing young players.
Kerr’s return makes Green’s return more likely. But it’s not guaranteed.
The next few weeks will determine whether the emotional heart of the Warriors dynasty stays in Golden State for a 15th season – or whether a new era begins without him.
One thing is certain: Draymond Green’s decision will shape the future of the Warriors more than any trade or free-agent signing.
And we’ll know his answer by June 29.