Draymond Green opted out of $27.7 million in June to give the Golden State Warriors flexibility to sign LeBron James. James chose Philadelphia, and Green then signed right back for the same $27.7 million he had declined to continue playing alongside Stephen Curry. On the “To the Baha” podcast, this raised several questions.

The conversation on the podcast began when Charlie Villanueva asked what Draymond Green would earn on the open market, away from Stephen Curry and the Warriors. The panel landed at roughly half of what Golden State is paying him.

“What other team is giving him 27, 28 a year?” Villanueva asked. The answer from his co-hosts was immediate: probably no other team.

Hong Lau replied: “He is worth the money to Golden State. He’s worth that value to Golden State. I respect that. So, but any other team? He’s probably 15. He’s probably around 15 a year.”

During the podcast, Lau also asked: “Why would he not take a discount to put better players around Steph, but he’ll do it for LeBron?”

The question landed squarely against the backdrop of insider Marcus Thompson II’s recent report. Thompson suggested that Curry himself may be growing tired of his team’s constant chase for superstars. Green shut down all such rumors, and Villanueva’s reply to Lau added more context to take into account.

The response was that Green may have calculated this was his last big contract, and that maximising it took priority.

“Maybe he knows this is it,” Villanueva said. “And everyone knows this is it.”

However, because Green later explained why LeBron ultimately stayed away, some fans questioned whether he had anticipated the outcome earlier.

“You look at Golden State, and I ultimately don’t think Bron was ever able to get over the history, and I understand it, I get it,” Green said on The Draymond Green Show.

That said, if the Warriors had successfully landed James, Green would likely have signed a multi-year deal at a lower annual figure. He would have reportedly accepted a pay cut to help the roster.

Now, Draymond Green averaged 8.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists last season. Those numbers alone would generally not command a $27 million contract. But Golden State gets a player who fits their system better than any available alternative, so Green gets paid roughly twice his open-market rate.

Anthony Slater of ESPN noted that the absence of a no-trade clause in Green’s new deal is a significant detail. Slater suggested that the Warriors will retain full flexibility to move him if a blockbuster opportunity emerges before the February deadline.

Green had said on Inside the NBA in May that he couldn’t see himself in another uniform. With Green, Curry, and Jimmy Butler all on expiring contracts after 2026-27, the Warriors will have approximately $41 million in guaranteed money on their books for 2027-28 if none of the three are extended.

The four-time All-Star is now set to play his 15th season with the Warriors. And if he appears in 51 games, he will join Curry as the only players in franchise history to appear in at least 1,000 games.