Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green said he wants to remain with the team amid uncertainty over his future as he launched a furious defence of the franchise insisting their dynasty is "not over".
The power forward has been a key player in the four NBA titles the Warriors have won over the past decade alongside Steph Curry and Klay Thompson and he is certain their glorious era is not over despite being eliminated from the play-offs in the Western Conference semi-finals by the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.
Green has an option in his contract – which will see him earn $27.4million next season and expires in 2024 – that would allow him to test the free agency market this summer, but speaking on his podcast, the 33-year-old made clear where he wants to play his basketball in 2023/24.
"Obviously, I have a player option," he said. "My agent, Richard Paul, is the best in the business and we have not had the opportunity yet to sit down and discuss any future things.
"I don't know what the options will be, I don't know what my option will be here, I don't know any of those things.
"What I can tell you is I want to be here. I've been here 11 years and you just don't throw that away and, quite frankly, I think we still have more championships that we can and will win.
"So, understanding all that, I want to be here, but I also understand that this is a business and I know the business side of it and the penalties that lie ahead with the new CBA (collective bargaining agreement). I know all of those things; I think winning is worth it and I know we still will win."
The Warriors' defeat to the Lakers in six games after an underwhelming regular season has led to questions about the future of a team that has been a perennial contender under Steve Kerr's coaching for the past decade.
That success has been earned by a solid core including Green, Curry and Thompson, but is their era of winning titles over? Green certainly does not think so.
He said: "A lot of people are saying the Warriors' dynasty is over, they are the same people who said the Warriors' dynasty was over in 2019 when KD left. Four years later, they are still saying 'It's over'.
"Great. They're always wrong. Those same people are the same folks who said I'd never make it in the NBA, they're the same folks who said 'They're a jump-shooting team and they won't win'. It's those people.
"They're saying the dynasty is over, and the people that are saying the dynasty is over are people who have never been part of a dynasty. You never really see Shaquille O'Neal, the great Shaq – my favourite player as a kid growing up – saying 'Oh man, it's over'. You know why? Because that man understands what it's like, he gets it.
"It's not (over), but we'll prove that again and we'll shut people up again and that will be fun to do. That's always the best thing to do, that's always the fun part and I'm looking forward to doing that because this thing is not over."
