The Warriors haven’t made a single external addition to their roster this offseason, making them one of the few teams in the league that haven’t signed a new player after finishing 37-45 last season and losing in the Play-In.
Golden State failed to land every star they targeted, including LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, and Jaylen Brown, which has reportedly left Stephen Curry growing tired and no longer completely on the same page as the front office.
Draymond Green, meanwhile, returned on a one-year, $27.7 million contract, the same amount as the player option he had rejected to create flexibility for the Warriors, only for the team to finish the offseason without adding anybody. Golden State drafted Yaxel Lendeborg and re-signed several players already in the organization, but this is still basically the same aging roster that missed the playoffs last season.
But for Green, he just isn’t the same player anymore, averaging 8.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists during the 2025-26 season, shooting 41.8% from the field and 32.6% from three in 68 games, as his offensive limitations became much harder to hide whenever Curry wasn’t available.
Green will become an unrestricted free agent in 2027, the same summer Jimmy Butler’s $56.8 million contract expires, and Curry’s current deal ends unless the Warriors extend him, which they should do as soon as he becomes eligible.
Instead of risking another mediocre season and watching Green leave for nothing, Golden State could trade him now for draft assets and a longer-term contract that could later be used as salary matching in another attempt to acquire a star.
Here is a mock trade that sends Green to the Bulls while giving both franchises something they badly need.
The Mock Trade
Golden State Warriors Receive: Patrick Williams, 2028 first-round pick (top-20 protected), 2027 second-round pick, 2029 second-round pick (least favorable of Pistons, Bucks and Knicks)
Chicago Bulls Receive: Draymond Green
Patrick Williams will make $18.0 million next season, while Draymond Green is set to earn $27.7 million. That means Chicago would be taking on about $9.7 million more salary than it sends out. The Bulls are also projected to be about $3.0 million under the salary cap, which gives them some flexibility to absorb extra money in a trade. In simple terms, Williams’ contract is small enough that Chicago can easily match Green’s salary without any major cap issues.
The draft picks are also fairly limited in risk. The 2028 first-round pick only transfers if it lands between No. 21 and No. 30, meaning Chicago keeps it if the pick is in the lottery. Golden State would also receive Chicago’s 2027 second-round pick and the least favorable 2029 second-round pick from the Pistons, Bucks and Knicks.
Why The Warriors Do This Move
Golden State’s logic would be pretty simple: Draymond Green can leave for nothing in 2027, so getting Patrick Williams, one protected first-round pick, and two second-round picks, would at least give the Warriors something before his contract disappears. Green will always be tied to Stephen Curry and the dynasty, but at 36, he isn’t valuable enough anymore to justify ignoring a solid return.
Williams hasn’t come close to becoming the player Chicago expected, but his $18.0 million salary through 2028-29 could actually help the Warriors. Golden State would have a medium-sized contract it could combine with picks and younger players in another trade, instead of trying to match a star salary with only minimum contracts and Jimmy Butler’s massive salary.
The other path would be opening cap space in 2027. Butler’s $56.8 million deal will come off the books, Green would already be gone, and Curry should have a new extension by then, giving Golden State a chance to rebuild most of the rotation around him instead of running back another old roster.
Anthony Davis would be one obvious name to watch because the Wizards reportedly don’t want to give him the max extension he is expected to seek. If Washington struggles and Davis becomes unhappy with his contract situation, Williams’ salary, the extra picks, and Golden State’s other assets could help the Warriors build another offer.
Kevin Durant could become another final option if the Rockets disappoint, especially because he could enter the 2027 offseason with only a season remaining under contract for 2027-28. This trade wouldn’t guarantee Davis, Durant, or any other star, but it would leave Golden State with more assets and more flexibility than simply allowing Green to leave for nothing.
The Bulls Keep Improving
Draymond is clearly far past his best years, but he could still become an important part of the new identity Chicago is trying to build. The Bulls already added Norman Powell and Nic Claxton, while Matas Buzelis looks ready for another jump, so Green’s defense, passing, and playoff experience could make them a serious sleeper team for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
He would give Chicago the competitive personality it has lacked for years, organizing the defense, challenging the younger players, and making the team much harder to play against. The spacing beside Josh Giddey and Claxton wouldn’t always be pretty, but the Bulls wouldn’t need Green to score. They would need him to make everyone around him more disciplined.
Moving Patrick Williams would also be a win after he never developed into the Kawhi Leonard-type two-way forward Chicago hoped it had drafted. Green’s $27.7 million contract would come off the books in 2027, while Williams would otherwise still be owed $18.0 million that season and $36.0 million over the following two years, giving the Bulls much more flexibility for the 2027 offseason.
