Recently it was reported that the Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks and a handful of other teams were interested in Golden State Warriors restricted free agent Draymond Green. Even Green himself admitted that there are "a lot of people talking to him" about signing in his hometown of Motor City. After setting career highs in nearly every offensive statistical category and finishing a close second in the Defensive Player of the Year award voting this past season, it's not a surprise to see so many teams keeping tabs on him. But the NBA champions have no intentions of allowing Green to get away in free agency.
"As he said over and over, Draymond Green is mtg w/ Warriors first before setting any other mtgs. If it goes well, he won't schedule any more," ESPN's Ramona Shelburne tweeted earlier this week.
As a restricted free agent, the Warriors have the right to match any offer sheet Green signs. Many NBA observers believe Green will garner an offer approaching the max, meaning the Warriors may have to get a bit creative with their salary cap to be able to retain Green. That may translate to renouncing the rights for Jordan Crawford, Jermaine O'Neal and others. As of now, it is highly unlikely Green ends up anywhere else next season.
Green was a key piece in Golden State's championship run this past season. His ability to guard all five positions offers the Warriors a unique level of versatility on both sides of the floor. During the NBA Finals, Green guarded Cleveland Cavaliers center Timofey Mozgov for long stretches, allowing the Warriors to go with small lineups and blitz the Cavs on offense. Additionally, Green averaged 11.7 points and 8.2 rebounds in the six-game series.
Expect him to be well paid and happy in the Bay area next year.
