As the dust settles from the Warriors' title defense ending in the Western Conference Semifinals, the focus shifts to an offseason of questions. One of the biggest questions surrounding Golden State pertains to the future of Draymond Green, who has a player option for the upcoming season and could become a free agent.
Immediately after being eliminated, Green expressed a desire to be a "Warrior for the rest of my life." During his exit interview, head coach Steve Kerr expressed a similar desire to keep Green in The Bay, while acknowledging that there is an element of trust that must be regained in order to do so.
"If Draymond's not back, we're not a championship contender, we know that," Kerr said about Green's future with the Warriors. "He's that important to winning and to who we are. I absolutely want him back."
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And while Kerr spoke glowingly of Green's most recent season, his player profile, and the relationship they've developed over nine seasons, he took on a different tone when addressing the training camp incident in which Green punched Jordan Poole.
"He knows that he had a great season this year from a basketball perspective but he knows he also compromised things by what happened back in October," Kerr said of Green and the incident.
"Part of him coming back next year has to be about rebuilding some of that trust and respect that he's earned here for a long period of time. One thing I love about Draymond is he's always brutally honest and he can take that sort of critique because he knows it's the truth."
Here is an extended Steve Kerr perspective on Draymond Green and his future. Said the Warriors are not a title contender if they lose Draymond, but said the preseason punch “compromised” the season. pic.twitter.com/JP4NXtb3HM
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) May 16, 2023
The Warriors ultimately fell just two wins shy of advancing to the Western Conference Finals, but both Green and Kerr admitted that this team did not have what it took to win an NBA championship.
MORE: What's next for the Warriors after exit in the West Semifinals?
At times, Golden State looked like the defending champs this season but confounding issues like an 11-30 record on the road during the regular season continued to stand in the way. Based on Kerr's admission, a lack of trust and team chemistry are likely culprits.
After a team-mandated suspension during the preseason, Green returned to action to post averages of 8.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.8 assists during the regular season, where he earned the eighth All-Defensive Team selection of his career.
Green's player option for the 2023-24 season is worth $27.6 million. The 33-year-old could look to opt out in order to secure a longer-term deal as he enters the later stages of his career.
