Why Draymond Green is becoming a free agent from Warriors, sort of

Draymond Green is going to become a free agent.

He had a $27.7 million player option in his contract with the Golden State Warriors. He declined it on Monday, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

Green has spent his entire NBA career with the Warriors. He's a franchise legend.

Is he leaving?

No, probably not. 

There's actually a really good reason for what Green is doing.

Why is Draymond Green becoming a free agent?

This is all about timing for the Warriors and Green as they pursue other players.

"Green delivers Golden State time and space to pursue (Anthony) Davis with the Wizards and convince (LeBron) James to join Stephen Curry, Green and his old Lakers championship teammate in the Bay," Charania wrote on X.

Green has essentially taken his salary off the books for the moment. That allows Golden State flexibility to go after LeBron and AD.

If Green had opted-in, the wiggle room with the salary cap would've been tougher.

In this situation, Green can wait to actually sign a new contract until the Warriors know the rest of the money they have on the books.

There's no expectation of Green leaving. He's just giving the Warriors a chance to get better. Eventually, he'll get a new contract of his own.