New Golden State Warriors general manager, Mike Dunleavy Jr., has affirmed that keeping Draymond Green is a priority for the team. The Warriors four-time NBA champion recently declined his player option for a $27.6 million deal next season, in order to become an unrestricted free agent.
“We really want Draymond back,” said Dunleavy. “What he means in terms of this organization and this team, winning at the highest level, we feel like we have to have him. So that’s very important.”
Green, a 33-year-old forward, is a 4-time NBA All-Star and 2017 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Although he had a spat with teammate Jordan Poole when he punched him at training camp, he still remains an asset to the team. Last season, Green averaged 8.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 1.0 steals per game.
Dunleavy believes that the Warriors still have what it takes to remain competitive, despite the aging roster and salary cap issues. He cited the desire of majority owner Joe Lacob to put a winning team on the floor.
“A lot can be made of all the challenges that are coming our way, whether it be aging roster, the new CBA (collective bargaining agreement) with some of the limitations there, anything else you can bring up,” Dunleavy said. “We’re aware of all those things but we also feel like we’re in a great place because we’ve got a competitive owner willing to spend, a group that’s tied in, has good synergy, good processes, sound decision making — we feel confident we can navigate it.”
The Warriors every season try and compete for NBA championships. Last season, they reportedly spent a record $346 million on the championship season roster in salary and luxury tax payouts.
