How Draymond Green's opt-out can help Warriors' pursuit of LeBron James and Anthony Davis
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Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has declined his $27.7 million player option in order to assist the organization in freeing up salary-cap flexibility for a possible pursuit of free agent LeBron James.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe plan isn't just to acquire James, but to also make a play for Washington Wizards big man Anthony Davis, reuniting the former teammates who won a championship together with the Los Angleles Lakers in 2020.
From a financial perspective, it's a sound move, even if things will get tight.
Let's break it all down.
Working the cap
Stephen Curry will earn over $62.5 million next season, and Jimmy Butler will sit at over $56.8 million.
Now, Butler will — in the above scenario — be involved in whatever framework to acquire Davis, meaning, in essence, that Butler's salary slot will be replaced by that of Davis at $58.4 million.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThat means James, and whichever new deal Green signs, will have to be pushed into an expected salary cap of roughly $165 million.
That will be feasible, as long as the Warriors make sacrifices elsewhere. Moses Moody's cap hit of $12.5 million should be easy to pivot off, which would likely provide the organization with enough financial leeway to lock in James, albeit on a less than max deal.
James at over $50-plus million would make it nearly impossible to build a sustainable supporting cast along with Curry, Davis and Green.
However, the Warriors can likely make the math work if James and Green agree to deals that are lower in annual value than they previously earned in order to make a push for the 2027 NBA Finals.
What's the deal for Washington?
Of course, seeing as a part of this idea also relies on acquiring Davis from Washington, you have to wonder what the Wizards will ask for.
The Wizards should play this smart. If the Warriors are indeed trying to gather a Big 4, fully realizing Butler is the primary piece coming back, the Wizards should squeeze them for as many additional assets, in the form of draft compensation, as possible.
Because as-is, Butler is coming off an ACL tear and he simply isn't a position of need for the Wizards, who just drafted AJ Dybantsa, while also having Bilal Coulibaly and Kyshawn George on the wing depth chart.
While some have speculated the trade can be expanded, thus rerouting Butler elsewhere, it's crucial to understand the difficulty of that. Butler, due to age, contract and recent injury history, simply isn't an attractive asset.
AdvertisementAdvertisementCould that change? Sure. Some team might be inclined to get involved regardless, but as of right now, we have to work under the assumption that moving Butler is going to be a hard sell.
Taking on Butler can be fine, as long as they're compensated for doing so, which provides the Wizards with significant leverage. They're in no rush to pivot off Davis and should frankly be disinterested in helping out Golden State, unless a major offer lands at their feet.
But that major offer could be coming.
This would be the final run for Curry before he hangs up his sneakers and walks away from the game. Perhaps the cost isn't important for Golden State, if that's the lens they're looking through.
If so, the Wizards need to take full advantage of their position.
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
