Golden State Warriors starting power forward Draymond Green has re-signed with the team, per Marc Spears of Yahoo Sports. The deal is reportedly worth $82-85 million over the course of five years.
The NBA free agency period began on July 1 (12 AM/ET), at which point the Warriors were the first team to talk with Green, a restricted free agent.
Per Mercury News sports columnist Tim Kawakami, the most the Warriors could have offered Green was a five-year deal worth roughly $93.15 million.
Later reports from Yahoo stated contract talks had broken down between Green’s camp and the team’s front office representatives, thus allowing Green to discuss terms with other teams.
According to Kawakami, the best long term deal another team could have offered Green in free agency would have been a four-year, $69.2 million contract. There was, however, no doubt that Golden State intended to match any offer that Green would have received from other teams.
After learning the news about the meetings not coming to fruition, Marcus Thompson of Bay Area News Group stated that a break down in contract talks between the Warriors and Green’s camp was to be expected, as the Warriors were likely hoping to save money on Green’s deal — and avoid paying such a high luxury tax bill — by signing him for slightly less than the max.
The Warriors stalled on giving him upwards of $80 million. Their initial offer was five for $70 million, then $75 million. Once Green didn’t accept, talks were off and he was forced to go prove his market value.
But then the Cavaliers signed Tristan Thompson — who plays the same position — to a five-year, $80 million contact. And Green’s market value was all but set. He’s worth more than Thompson and he proved it during the NBA Finals.
Green was the 35th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, which earned him a three-year, $2.64 million contract. Since then, Green has played a pivotal role for Golden State, averaging a career-high 11.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists this past season.
In addition, Green earned NBA All-Defensive First Team honors this past year and was one of the runner-ups in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Green himself went on Uninterrupted — a subsidiary of Bleacher Report — to announce how ecstatic he was to be back with the Warriors after re-signing on Wednesday night.
“[I’m] proud to say that I’ll be a Warrior for at least the next five years,” Green said. “It’s been a long journey to get this point, whether it’s always trying to overcome the odds, overcome the doubters…to be in this position signing back a long time with the Warriors is amazing.”
“I look forward to spending these years with my teammates, with the Bay Area, the Warriors organization…it’s gonna be a fun time. Let’s keep winning championships. That’s the plan, that’s what we gonna do.”
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Note: Poor Man’s Commish contributed to this report.
(Photo Credit: jg.studios Instagram account)
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