Warriors’ Future With Draymond Green Takes New Turn

The Golden State Warriors could part ways with longtime forward Draymond Green at the February trade deadline if the 2026-27 season unfolds poorly, according to reporting circulated Tuesday by NBA Central.

The account cited The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson II via Kevin O’Connor in outlining a potential turning point for the franchise that has won four championships this century.

“This might be the time, like right now, we’re gonna figure out what happens for the next future. I think by the trade deadline, we’ll know ‘this is gonna be tough.’ And we could really fully be saying goodbye, right Draymond could be traded at the trade deadline,” he wrote.

“Steph ain’t going. Steph ain’t going nowhere. Steph’s a lifer. Plus, you gotta sell the tickets, man. Like, where you going? Steph is still one of the top experiences in the NBA just to take in, right? But if this thing doesn’t work, they could make some decisions where you’re like, ‘Okay, we’re gonna drastically change this thing. Jimmy Butler’s on a one-year deal. Draymond Green’s on a one-year deal.’ They’re openly saying, ‘We have a hundred million in expiring contracts. We got flexibility.’ That’s the core players. And Klay’s already gone. If Draymond leaves, there’s a sense you could feel like they just might start this thing completely over.”

Green, 36, is entering the 15th season of a career spent entirely with Golden State after the team selected him in the second round of the 2012 draft. He averaged 8.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 68 games last season while shooting 41.8 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from 3-point range.

The Warriors finished 37-45 and placed 10th in the Western Conference. They beat the Los Angeles Clippers in the play-in tournament before falling to the Phoenix Suns and missing the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.

Klay Thompson, a fellow cornerstone of the dynasty, signed with the Miami Heat in free agency. That departure left Stephen Curry, Green and Jimmy Butler as the primary remaining links to the teams that captured titles in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022.

Curry, 38, is in the final year of a contract that will pay him about $62.6 million. Team officials and those close to the two-time MVP have repeatedly indicated he intends to finish his career in the Bay Area.

Butler is also on an expiring contract after tearing his ACL last January. He is expected to return at some point during the coming season.

Green signed a one-year, $27.7 million deal in July after first declining a player option for the same amount. The move was designed to give the front office flexibility in an unsuccessful pursuit of LeBron James.

General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. has spoken publicly about the organization’s cap situation and willingness to evaluate the roster at midseason. The NBA trade deadline is scheduled for Feb. 11.Green’s name surfaced in trade discussions last February when Golden State explored a deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks kept their star, and the Warriors instead acquired Kristaps Porzingis.

Coach Steve Kerr has described the coming year as a period of transition that will require adjustments from Green, including fewer turnovers and more willingness to shoot open three-pointers.

A midseason trade of Green would mark the clearest signal yet that the Warriors are prepared to move beyond the core that defined more than a decade of contention. Chase Center remains one of the league’s more reliable ticket draws largely because of Curry’s presence.

Whether that draw and the remaining talent prove enough to keep the group intact through February will become clearer once the regular season begins.