Is Draymond Green leaving the Warriors? 'The writing is on the wall’

Draymond Green was recently asked about his uncertain futurewith the Golden State Warriors, and in a very candid answer, headmitted that his days with the team are likely numbered.

"Quite frankly, the writing is on the wall," Green told Bleacher Report's Taylor Rooks. "Iunderstand the business. We tend to get into this mindset thatsomeone owes us something because of what we've accomplished. You'dbe an idiot to walk around feeling that way. Like, I feel likeyou're just setting yourself up for failure. You're settingyourself up for heartbreak. You're setting yourself up fordisappointment as opposed to saying, 'No, let me learn thisbusiness.'

"If you don't get to know the business, then you can beblindsided and be like, 'Oh, man, [after] everything I've donethere, I thought I'd be there forever.' I would love to be. Iunderstand the luxury tax. I understand you got these young guysand contracts up, and they have to get paid. Like, I understand allof those things. And so, just for me, that's what I mean by thewriting’s on the wall."

“Quite frankly, the writing’s on thewall."Draymond Green on the possibility of not being a Warrior 👀(via @TaylorRooks)pic.twitter.com/dzIOaq5e2I

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 14, 2023

Green has a player option for the 2023-24 season (which is worth$27,586,224), meaning he can become an unrestricted free agent thisoffseason. Green will turn 33 years old next month, so he'sexpected to opt out and seek a multi-year deal.

In October, the Warriors opted to give lucrative extensions toJordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins — with no new deal for Green. Thiswas the first sign that the Warriors might be preparing to move onfrom Green, especially since it came shortly after Green punchedPoole in practice and video of the incident leaked.

Next season, Stephen Curry ($51,915,615), Klay Thompson($43,219,440), Poole ($28,705,357) and Wiggins ($24,330,357) willearn a combined $148,170,769. Current projections put the 2023-24salary cap at $134 million and the luxury tax threshold at $162million. In other words, Golden State will be significantly overthe cap just from paying its Big 4 of Curry, Thompson, Poole andWiggins.

Throw in Kevon Looney ($8,500,000), James Wiseman ($12,119,440),Jonathan Kuminga ($6,012,840), Moses Moody ($3,918,480), PatrickBaldwin Jr. ($2,337,720) and Ryan Rollins ($1,719,864) and theWarriors' payroll will be $182,779,113 — and that’s before theymake any free-agency additions or fill out their roster. Even ifGreen opts out and signs elsewhere, Golden State will have a hugeluxury-tax bill.

Keep in mind that the Warriors' current $190,494,052 payroll isone of the highest in the NBA. They also had the highest payrolllast season ($175,858,991) and the year before ($171,105,334). Lastyear, their luxury-tax bill cost an NBA-record $170,331,194, but itpaid off since they won their fourth championship in eightyears.

This season, they were hit with the repeater tax (since theyhave been a taxpayer in three of the last four years), so they arepoised to break their own record with a luxury-tax bill of$176,532,601. That means this year's Warriors squad is costingownership $367,026,653.

While Warriors owner Joe Lacob has spoken out about the “very unfair”luxury-tax system, it’s not going anywhere. Golden State will alsobe hit with the repeater tax next season too, which significantlyincreases their luxury-tax bill.

Since the NBA implemented the luxury tax in 2001, the Warriorshave been taxed by far the most of any team($337,841,573). No other team hasbeen taxed over $300 million, and only two other teams have beentaxed over $200 million — the Brooklyn Nets ($297,855,872) and NewYork Knicks ($248,542,987).

The Warriors have shown thatthey are willing to break the bank, but given their cap sheet andthe repeater tax, Green may be right. They may have no choice butto break up their dynastic core.