NBA Rumors: Why the Lakers are a real possibility for Draymond Green

The NBA rumors machine is up and running with the 2023 NBA Draft right around the corner. After the massive trade that sent Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns, another big-name player is potentially on the move as Draymond Green declined his player option for the 2023-24 season. This has led some to believe that Green will join the Los Angeles Lakers.

There definitely is a connection between Green and the Lakers that is worth taking note of. Green is signed to Klutch Sports and seemingly has a great relationship with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. As we see time and time again in the NBA, that often is enough.

And while it might seem absurd right now, the Lakers actually have the means to sign Green to a contract in free agency without having to sacrifice much else. For those two reasons, the Lakers have to be considered the favorites to sign Draymond if he leaves the Warriors.

Why the NBA rumors around Draymond Green and the Lakers are legit:

First, we have to establish what Green is worth on the open market. While he declined a salary of $27.5 million next season, he is not going to get much more than that as a free agent. Instead, Green is likely doing this so he can secure extra years on his deal at a similar price.

Green will likely get paid around $25-30 million per season on a three-year deal. This gives him the money he would have earned next season anyway while also securing another $50-60 million over the next two years. For simplicity’s sake, we are going to assume that he signs a deal that pays him the exact same next season at $27.5 million.

As it stands right now before the Lakers re-sign Austin Reaves and/or Rui Hachimura or bring in other talents, Los Angeles has $10.84 million in projected cap space and $38.84 million in projected luxury tax space. That alone is not enough but that number can quickly grow.

Mo Bamba and Shaquille Harrison are on non-guaranteed contracts that the Lakers can wipe away for free. The team also has a club option on Malik Beasley’s deal that it can decline. If Los Angeles wipes the books of these three players (none of which are that impactful) then the team will have $40.08 million in projected cap space and $68.08 million in projected luxury tax space.

That is plenty to sign Green to a salary that pays him $27.5 million next season. After that, the Lakers would still have roughly $12.58 million in cap space and $40.58 million in luxury tax space.

Let’s say Hachimura gets $10 million a season and Austin Reaves gets the max he can get from LA (a four-year, $50.76 million contract that pays him $11.3 million next season). That would put the Lakers in the red when it comes to cap space, but the team would still have roughly $19.28 million in luxury tax space. Add in the 17th pick at $3.64 million and the Lakers would have roughly $15.64 million in luxury tax space.

After all of this, the Lake Show would have eight players under contract that would make up the primary rotation. The team would likely have to sacrifice its non-taxpayers MLE but LA could still use the taxpayers MLE as well as the bi-annual exception to add two more players to the roster. After using those two exceptions, LA would have 10 players rostered.

Throw in the likes of Cole Swider, Scotty Pippen Jr, a second-round pick in 2023 and some veteran minimums and suddenly the Lakers have a full roster that still falls way below the second tax apron.