Kendrick Perkins wants Klay Thompson not Draymond Green to EXIT Warriors

Warriors will have to pick between Klay Thompson or Draymond Green this summer

Kendrick Perkins wants Klay Thompson not Draymond Green to EXIT Warriors

The Golden State Warriors is witnessing a possible end to their time with the core group of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green as salary complications have made it difficult for the team to retain all three players.

Draymond Green reportedly declined his $27.6 million player option for next season to become an unrestricted free agent as per his agent Rich Paul. With this move, Green can test the free agent market to sign with a new team or he can choose the option to re-sign with the Golden State Warriors or flip his contract to be a part of a sign-and-trade.

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Kendrick Perkins weighs in on the possible Warriors situation: “The core group is actually Steph, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green. … The Warriors need to do everything in their power to … keep Draymond Green.” According to Perkins, the Warriors’ main objective is to retain Green at all costs, even at the expense of departing with Klay Thompson. Green has been the backbone of the Warriors’ dynasty leading them to 4 NBA titles and multiple Finals appearances but letting go of a generational talent like Klay Thompson is also not in the best interest of the team.

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The Warriors are one of the highest tax-paying teams in the league with the team already paying $215 million in payroll, which will create a $268 million luxury tax to equal $483 million in 2023-24. The amount is expected to go even higher as the team has three other slots of players left to fill.

Draymond Green is projected to resign with the Warriors and the front office will have to make a decision on whether they can extend Thompson who will be entering his contract year all while keeping at least one of Jonathan Kuminga or Jordan Poole.

Related: LeBron James and Draymond Green spark TEAM-UP RUMORS after hanging out together in Europe

Warriors and Draymond Green DESTINED to reunite

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Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson after the 2022 NBA Finals [Image Credits: Twitter]

Although Draymond Green might have opted out of his player option this move might actually be a joined strategy to deflate the Warriors of their exorbitant luxury tax amount. With the looming new CBA swinging in this summer, the Warriors are not in a position to retain all their key players as they are deep in the luxury tax. This move by Draymond can be a way of lowering the Team’s rising payroll by paying Green to a lesser contract for the 2023-24 season and then signing him to a higher multiyear contract later.

Draymond can however test the market if he wants to as several teams like the Celtics and Kings could use him, but teams like the Pistons are the most favourable for the 4-time NBA All-Star as they can sign him to a big contract as they have bigger cap spaces as compared to contending teams.

Green is still looking to get back with the Warriors as both parties have expressed interest in each other. As reported by Adrian Wojnarowski: “Draymond and (agent) Rich Paul, they’re not really posturing here and threatening that they’re going to go somewhere else … I think there’s certainly a desire on both sides to stay together. They want each other,”

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As cited by his agent Rich Paul, Draymond will still test the market to see what he is worth in the open market as Free Agency will hit the NBA on July 1st.

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