Draymond Green talks Warriors future: ‘I would love to finish my career here’

The Warriors’ dynasty will fall eventually. And voices outside Golden State’s walls seem to be waiting for its demise. Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are all in their mid-30s, this Warriors team barely made the playoffs to defend its 2022 title and Green will have the option to opt out of his contract in the offseason.

But Green said on a recent podcast he hopes to play four more years in the NBA and retire as a Warrior.

“As far as my situation goes, I’ve been here 11 years. I’ve done everything you can possibly do here. Why would I want to go somewhere else and try to do it again?” Green said on the #ThisLeague Uncut podcast.

Green, 33, went on to say that he hoped after signing his four-year, $100 million veteran extension in 2019 that it would lead to another extension until the end of his career.

“I would love to finish my career here,” he said. “That’s been my goal since signing this current contract that I’m on. It’s looking like a more realistic thing to be finishing here.

“And I also don’t want to play 20 years in the NBA, I want to play 15 years in the NBA. In four more years, it’s likely I’ll be contributing at a high level and living up to the contract I’ll be on. As far as the probability, I can’t give you that because it isn’t up to me. If it was up to me, I can tell you 100 percent I would finish my career here.”

Green’s comments are a change in tone from the preseason, when he made clear he knew he wouldn’t get a contract extension before this season began. Knowing he’d need to earn another extension, Green has played through injuries and put together a spectacular regular season in which he leads the team in total plus-minus over 73 games played.

The new salary cap limitations in the updated CBA create more punishments for high-spending teams like the Warriors to go above certain tax aprons. But Green said he has no reason to doubt general manager Bob Myers, owner Joe Lacob and the front office would do right by him.

“I do think I’m upholding my end of the bargain,” he said. “I don’t doubt that Joe and Bob and our front office and ownership group won’t hold up their end of the bargain. Contrary to the reports out there, I have zero reason to believe they won’t hold up their end of the bargain because they’ve never shown me that.”