Ethan Sherwood Strauss 9y

Will Draymond's green splinter Dubs' core?

If a thrilling comeback from 26 points down didn’t remind you how special this Warriors team can be, if Stephen Curry’s scintillating 37 points didn’t shock you into appreciation, Draymond Green wanted to sanctify the moment.

After a signature defensive performance vs. the Celtics in which he covered everyone from massive Tyler Zeller to tiny Isaiah Thomas, Green switched onto the future itself: “This team right here, this team will probably never be together again. That’s just the nature of the business. One addition, one subtraction, this isn’t together no more. So take advantage while you got it. Because I’m sure this team will never be together again.”

It’s the rare win that comes with a side of foreshadowing. The specifics are hazy, though. Perhaps the soon-to-be free agent was reacting to a typically happy Golden State postgame scene, with Andre Iguodala gleefully yelling at anyone who dared touch the sound system as Drake’s “If You're Reading This It's Too Late” blared over the laughter of teammates. The Warriors know how to have fun, how to enjoy each other, how to be present while the getting is good.

Then again, there is a context to what Green said, a context he’s certainly aware of. As the majority of Warriors fans reading this post know too well, the Detroit Pistons are reportedly interested in signing Green this summer. Green, a friend of Curry, will be a restricted free agent, meaning the Warriors will have the ability to match any offer the former second-round pick gets on the market. Though it remains to be seen if they’ll do so if a rich offer sheet comes in when it’s time to pay the man.

The Warriors are quick to assert that they’re keeping Green, but restricted free agency is a tricky business. A consensus opinion that Golden State will match any Green offer might chase away some suitors, driving his price down. It’s in the Warriors’ interest to have everyone believe they’ll pay Green a max contract without blinking.

Just the day before, Warriors general manager Bob Myers was on a panel at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in Boston with his former boss and Green's current agent, Arn Tellem. The two go way back -- Myers started as an intern under Tellem. The panel was a friendly free-for-all on the art of negotiation. Tellem, no stranger to inflicting pain on teams, had the money quote: "I don't make threats. The key is to just do it." That’s Tellem's version of, “If you’re reading this, it’s too late.”

After a weekend in which he was in Boston along with his agent and GM, Green was also more assertive when asked about Defensive Player of the Year: “That's a goal. Something I'm definitely pushing for. So I'm looking forward. I work for it. I definitely want to win that award.”

In the past, Green's position on such matters was to express happiness over just being mentioned in such conversations. Embracing his candidacy for DPOY, an award he is certainly qualified for, represents a shift in public ambition.

Based on current cap projections, a post-rookie-deal max contract would start Green at a little over $15 million the first year, ascending to above $18 million at the end of a five-year deal. That’s a hefty price tag that comes with one year of probable luxury tax, but the Warriors are well-positioned to absorb it. Actually, the way the deals of some of their core players are staggered looks just a little intentional.

After the summer of Draymond, whenever someone is up for a big new contract, an old one comes off the books. When Harrison Barnes is a free agent in 2016, David Lee’s deal expires. When Stephen Curry is ready for a well-earned max in 2017, the Andrew Bogut and Iguodala deals come off the books. That’s also when the NBA’s TV money should blast the cap upward like a burst water main. The ideal 2017 scenario features Curry, Barnes, Thompson and Green all signed, with room to spare.

This isn’t like when Oklahoma City confronted the difficulty of signing Serge Ibaka and James Harden simultaneously. Golden State is like a light aircraft carrier that can’t park all its planes at once. Conveniently, the schedule calls for the largest planes to land at different times. And two years from now, when it’s about to get crowded, the USS Lacob is due for a major expansion.

At least the Warriors are well-positioned to keep many of their players going forward. They might plausibly trade Iguodala in anticipation of Barnes’ progress. It’s unclear whether Marreese Speights has a long future with the team. There’s a lot of turnover in sports, and any move could be enough to alter a unique kind of chemistry.

So yes, Green has a point. These particular Warriors will probably never be together again after this season. The bigger question for Golden State fans is whether Green is among the core that stays constant. With his inspired play, if not his sentimental words, he’s sending the message that you shouldn’t take his presence for granted.

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