Draymond Green has missed the last 12 games for the Golden State Warriors while serving an open-ended suspension. Part of his temporary ban featured league-mandated requirements that included meetings with higher ups and there were even reports of anger management sessions, but Green has apparently satisfied the benchmarks, and will be re-joining the team some time within the next week or so.
Warriors: Draymond Green Lost Nearly $2 Million During Suspension
Final tally for the 12-game Green suspension:
$1,847,291
Golden State saw their projected tax bill decrease from $192.5M to $183.7M (a savings of $8.8M)
They now have 1 roster spot available https://t.co/x5RyLcNHwv
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) January 6, 2024
Having been out of live action for nearly a month, it will take Green some time to get back into playing shape and re-acclimate himself to the up-and-down grind on the basketball court. But one area that he will certainly feel lighter is in his wallet, as the suspension has cost the embattled Warriors forward some serious coin.
Due to the gaudy (and now likely regrettable) contract that he signed in the off-season, Green makes roughly $154,000 per game that he plays. It is estimated that during the most recent suspension, Green will have forfeited a total of $1,847,291 of his own money in game checks, which will put a dent in his earnings for the year.
The suspension and subsequent non-payouts have saved the Warriors a good chunk of money. Golden State has the most expensive team in the NBA, and also one of the highest luxury tax bills. But they got a bit of financial relief due to Draymond Green’s situation, as they saw their tax number from $192.5 million t0 $183.7 million, a savings of nearly $9 million.
Could Golden State Be Looking To Move On?
ESPN story on Draymond Green’s imminent return to Golden State’s practice facility to begin ramping up to resume play post-suspension: https://t.co/Cac1cJMZ0q
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 4, 2024
It may be just the start of the Warriors attempting to rid themselves of a contract that they extended no more than 8 months ago. Green has been ejected in 20% of the games that he has played in this season, and his on-court anger issues have become increasingly problematic for himself and his team as a whole.
There is also the issue of his declining on-court production. There have already been multiple occasions this season in which Green has costed his team with bone-headed decisions or poor play in crunch time, leaving some to wonder just how detrimental his absence is to the team’s performance.
Could the Warriors be looking to get out from under the $100 million that they owe Green over the next four years? There will plenty of rumors swirling over the next month as we approach the trade deadline, and there are some teams that could show some interest in the embattled Golden State forward.
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