If You’re The Detroit Pistons, Do You Go After Draymond Green?
It's been reported through various media sources that four-time NBA champion Draymond Green (pictured) will decline his $27.5 million player option with the Golden State Warriors and will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st.
And with Green being free to sign anywhere he wants to, one will speculate about him returning home (he's from Saginaw) to join his home state Detroit Pistons.
There has been speculation for a couple of years about the former Michigan Stater to join the Pistons to close out his career at some point. At 33 years old, he's closer to the end of his career than he is the beginning (let's be real, here).
And there are pros and cons to him coming to Detroit, first the pros:
VETERAN LEADERSHIP
The Pistons are sorely lacking in that neighborhood. They have a bunch of young guys (Cade Cunningham, Isaiah Stewart, Killian Hayes, etc.) who haven't figured out how to win yet. If anything, Green could possibly show them the way to winning in the NBA.
THEY HAVE SALARY CAP SPACE
The Pistons could have a reported $40 million in salary cap space this offseason. So they could certainly afford Green if he agrees to anywhere close to what he just turned down in the player option.
HE'LL SELL TICKETS
Well, he might. If Green signs with Detroit, it will be noteworthy. And there will be a curiosity factor as to whether he can help them. And if fans are curious, they might be interested. And if there interested, they might sell some more tickets to fill Little Caesars Arena more than it is (which isn't much).
Now, for the cons:
HOW MUCH DOES HE HAVE LEFT?
He is 33 years old. But he has played in six NBA Finals. Put that together with the 11 regular seasons he's played, and it's really more than 12 seasons.
He has showed some age the last two seasons. Can he really be that big of a factor on this squad with the salary he'll command? He turned down $27.5 million, so you know he wants more than that from another team.
HE COULD BE A DISTRACTION
Draymond is an emotional player, as he's shown throughout his career. He is prone to screaming at refs and getting technical fouls. And if/when he gets ejected, he is useless. And with his forceful personality, it could be a major problem if it's not harnessed by owner Tom Gores, general manager Troy Weaver and/or new head coach Monty Williams.
HIS OWN PODCAST
Draymond has a podcast where he sounds off on the NBA, basketball in general, and life in general. He has a bit of Charles Barkley in him, where he just about says anything. If he says something crazy, that could turn off a lot of people, let alone the organization and his own teammates.
If I were Tom Gores, I wouldn't sign him. It would be a departure from the rebuild that is ongoing. I think his presence could be poison for the young players on the team. And he's going to want to multi-year deal (more than two years, I mean).
Do you really want to commit big-time money for multiple years to a guy on the down side of his career that COULD be a problem just because he from the state of Michigan? I don't think so.
What do you guys think, let us know in the comments!!