Draymond Green is still an unrestricted free agent after he decided to decline his player option. 

Opting in would've seen Draymond make $27.6 million for the 2026-27 season. By opting out, he could sign a long-term deal worth less money, or a shorter-term deal that pays him a bit more. 

Draymond reportedly opted out to potentially help make room for LeBron James to sign with the team. Draymond and LeBron are close friends, and the four-time NBA champion made a pitch to LeBron in an attempt to lure him to the Bay. Draymond reportedly would've taken a pay cut if it meant LeBron joining the team. 

On Friday, LeBron announced that he was signing with the Philadelphia 76ers, ending the dream of "The King" joining Steph Curry and crew. 

With LeBron going to Philadelphia, Draymond now has a decision to make. 

According to ESPN's Anthony Slater, the Warriors want to make sure they have Draymond for the rest of his career, and Draymond has plenty of financial reasons to remain in Golden State. 

There was chatter that Draymond could follow LeBron wherever he went, but that would require him to take the veteran's minimum. Leaving $27.6 million on the table for the minimum doesn't seem like good business for him. 

The Warriors can offer him the most money, though a sign-and-trade is also possible. Draymond knew that being traded was possible over the past year, as the Warriors were interested in Giannis Antetokounmpo. 

If he wants to get traded to Philadelphia to be with LeBron, the 76ers would have to give up newly signed players like Dean Wade or Anfernee Simons, or sophomore VJ Edgecombe, to make the deal happen. That's unlikely to happen. 

Maybe he's open to joining another team, and there are certainly teams that would be interested in Draymond given his defense and experience, though not every team is equipped to deal with his personality. 

Curry remains in Golden State and Steve Kerr re-signed for two more seasons. The team likely wants to keep Draymond, as they need to remain as competitive as possible in Curry's final years, but even with Draymond, they aren't a championship-level team due to age and injuries. 

As an unrestricted free agent, Draymond holds the majority of the cards, as he can take less money to play for the team of his choosing or try to force a sign-and-trade. But if he wants the most money, the Warriors are his only option.