Dec 12, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Golden State Warriors fans finally have something to look forward to as Draymond Green makes his way back to the team. After serving his suspension that lasted 12 games, Green will soon join the team on Sunday. Now that the Warriors’ defensive leader has served his suspension, it also gives fans a clear idea of how much money he lost overall.

According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Draymond Green has lost a total of $1,847,291 for the 12-game suspension he just served. To break it down to how much he lost per game, Green’s loss for each game missed comes to $153,941.

 

While the Warriors have sorely missed their defensive general, there is a massive silver lining to the player having missed the 12 games he did. Due to Draymond Green’s suspension, the Golden State Warriors were able to save $8.8 million on their year-long tax bill this season.

Golden State saw its projected tax bill decrease from $192.5M to $183.7M amid Green’s absence. When it comes to looking for a light in the darkness, they don’t come much financially brighter than this.

The NBA has handed out some big suspensions to All-Star-level players for minor discrepancies these past few seasons. So, after Draymond Green landed a punch mid-game, many NBA analysts were convinced that fans may not see Green again this year.

However, the four-time All-Star is well on his way to joining the team only after being suspended for 12 games, which is a bit surprising. Green’s suspension may have been a blessing in disguise for the Warriors franchise.

Now, even though Draymond Green joining the team is good news for Dub Nation, fans may have to wait a while to see the 6ft 6″ forward in action. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Green will approximately need a week to ramp up for a game return. That said, Dub Nation likely won’t mind that too much.

Especially considering how the ‘indefinite’ suspension could have lasted a lot longer than 12 games, fans will likely ride high just knowing that Draymond is now eligible to play once again.

A lot riding on Draymond Green’s return

The Golden State Warriors may have been able to stand their ground in Draymond Green’s absence for the most part but the team has been struggling off-late. Specifically, key players like Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson are not close to performing to their usual standards.

Even Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody’s camps have recently voiced their concern over head coach Steve Kerr’s in-game decisions and his use of rotational minutes, something that has not helped the dark cloud already above the franchise at the moment. So, Green’s return won’t mean a thing if he is not able to impact the overall mood and record of the team.

Draymond Green is not the biggest contributor on offense for the Golden State Warriors. But what he lacks in offensive skills, the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year more than makes up for on the other end of the floor.

Given how the Warriors have been beyond lacking on defense, Green’s contributions are needed now more than ever. Dub Nation has dominated the league over the last decade but slowly their empire seems to be crumbling under them this year.

If this slide continues for the remainder of this season, Golden State’s front office may be forced to make some drastic changes to their roster. And in that scenario, kickstarting a rebuild may not be off the cards.