"Draymond will take $95 million pay cut for his buddy LeBron James": NBA fans react to reports of Draymond Green's free agency plans

Before the start of free agency, Draymond Green opted to decline his player option with the Golden State Warriors and become an unrestricted free agent.

As a multi-time champion and Defensive Player of the Year, Green should have a good market in free agency. The former All-Star feels he is still a $100 million player in this league.

Following this news, NBA fans began pouring in with their thoughts on Green's free agency. As expected, a lot of the jokes were about the Warriors forward potentially running off to be with close friend LeBron James on the LA Lakers. The two good friends were recently seen holidaying together in France.

Aside from the LeBron jokes, many critics chimed in with their thoughts on Green no longer being worth that much to any NBA team:

Despite what some fans think, there were others that still believe Green is an elite defensive talent and can help any team win a title:

Green, 33, played in 73 games for the Warriors this past season. In that span, he posted averages of 8.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.8 assists.

Could Draymond Green return to the Golden State Warriors?

When this news first surfaced, many believed that Draymond Green's time with the Golden State Warriors had come to an end. However, following recent events, the door might have re-opened for him to remain with the franchise.

Hours before the 2023 NBA draft, the Warriors made a surprising move in which Jordan Poole was sent to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Chris Paul. Getting that contract off the books could put them in a position to re-sign Green this summer.

For years now, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson have spoken about Green's importance to the franchise. The trio hope they can all finish their careers together in Golden State.

With Poole no longer on the roster, the team doesn't have to worry about the altercation that happened in training camp last year. The trade could also indicate they have some intention of trying to keep their title-winning core together.

There is no denying that Green is a valuable asset on and off the floor, but things could get tricky financially. With the new CBA in place, Green might have to go elsewhere if he wants one big payday before his career ends.