Silence.Confusion.Outrage.Squeeze

Draymond Green had a lot to say about this NBA off-season's lackluster moves.  I must admit that this offseason has been a dud for the most part.  In previous off-seasons, my phone would be going off alerting me to countless rumors of trades and free agent signings and before you know it, the NBA Summer League was underway.  However, the time in between the NBA draft and the Summer League has felt like ages. 

Green posted on his Threads account his dissatisfaction for how this year’s free agency is going, and he blamed the 2^nd apron of the current Collection Bargaining Agreement (CBA), but there were inferences of sneak-dissing the NBA Players Association and free agents not knowing their worth.  He is right to criticize this new CBA and its 2^nd apron because now certain players can’t get what they’re worth now.  This 2^nd apron enforces a harder salary cap and limits you to having 2 max contract All-Stars but limits a team on having quality role players. 

The Ebbtide Crew can attest to this that I’ve said in the past that this CBA is designed to raise the age limit for the next CBA that will be renegotiated.  As it stands, teams are drafting young superstars and high potential players rather than going with the decorated finished product of a 4-year college basketball player.   

As we have seen in most cases in the past 10 years, most of these young potentials have not worked out.  Sure, we can say that’s bad scouting and General Management, but you must always remember, all Sports Leagues operate from a position of strength.  Player Unions’ strength lies in their opportunity. The Governors can afford to willingly put out under-developed talent year in and year out and it won’t hurt their bottom line. With this unappealing product on display, it will be hard to argue against raising the age limit. Especially with the emergence of NIL. 

Silence 

In 2023, Draymond Green signed a 4-year deal for $100 million dollars.  Wait a minute, the current CBA also commenced in 2023.  After realizing this, I thought to myself, I don’t recall Green speaking about this.  That’s odd! 

Confusion 

This way of doing business has been brewing for 2 years now.  How can Green not see this coming?  Your long-time teammate, Klay Thompson, was one of the first casualties of this CBA during last year’s off-season.  Even then, Green didn’t make that much of a commotion that he is doing now. 

Outrage 

Aside from trashing this abysmal free agency, he trashed the Union leadership (CJ McCollum) without mentioning names for agreeing to this CBA. In hindsight, he wished he could’ve helped during the renegotiations.  Green responds to comments that his outrage is due to his teammate, Jonathan Kuminga, not getting top dollar in the free agent market which he vehemently denies.  At the beginning of this past season, Golden State offered Kuminga a 5-year deal at $150 million.  He turned it down.   

Now this off-season, Golden State offered him a 1-year deal for $7 million.  Not to mention, he would be a Restricted Free Agent, giving the Warriors first refusal.  Sheesh! Kuminga has great potential, and his future is worth the investment.  But as Green reiterated, this 2^nd apron has capped the value for these free agents.  What we’re seeing now is players coming to grips with a new day.  Or as Fat Joe put it, “Yesterday’s price, isn’t today’s price.” 

Squeeze 

With all that Draymond Green griped about, I was curious that no one is addressing what he didn’t say.  While he is one of the most outspoken personalities in the NBA, Green has a significant amount of smarts about him and he wouldn’t just sound off on this for no reason.  Here is what concerns Draymond, he is entering in the heavier side of his contract where he is due to make an estimated $26 million.  He has the choice to opt out of his contract at the end of 2025-26 season, but that is highly unlikely with him due to make $28 million in the 2026-27 season. 

In his Threads posting he mentioned that he was in his man cave with his Wife having a glass of wine while they were discussing the free agency period and how underwhelming it has been.  I would guess that the conversation was about free agency, but not this off-season.   

With its dismal production, is this what next year’s free agency period going to look like?   

Can he even opt out now when the times comes and get a bigger deal?   

Will the Warriors suggest that he opt out and take a discount to stay on the team?  

If he opts in for the last year of the contract, is he willing to risk being traded? 

I imagine these thoughts and scenarios can put a squeeze on what his plans were for this contract.  After seeing how everything is playing out, Green can only wonder if he has played his last contract with Golden State or perhaps in the NBA.  The only problem is that Green couldn’t have imagine he would have to consider this possibility a year earlier than expected. 

Tony Love