The Golden State Warriors re-signed Draymond Green to a four-year, $100 million contract at the onset of free agency on Friday afternoon. After rumors had swirled that Green would ink a three-year deal that tied his contract to Warriors icon Steph Curry, many were surprised to see the Dubs give their controversial forward a player option for an additional season.
Let’s say the Warriors could have given Green a three-year, $85 million contract instead, giving him a deal with an average annual value north of $28 million. On the surface, the Warriors would have guaranteed Green $15 million less over the life of the contract, but that ignores the luxury tax, which has much larger implications on team payroll.