Draymond Green Makes Controversial Jalen Brunson Statement

The Warriors star made a surprising statement on the Knicks superstar.

Mar 18, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors center Draymond Green (23) and New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) share a laugh during the first half at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: / John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

Draymond Green is no stranger when it comes to controversial statements, even when he's not intending to be controversial. Most recently, Green made a statement on Jalen Brunson's contract that rubbed some fans the wrong way.

During an interview with Jeff Green on the Club 520 Podcast, Green claimed that Jalen Brunson followed in his footsteps when taking a pay cut with the New York Knicks.

“He did the Draymond Green," Green said. "I signed that [four-year contract] for [$100 million]. If I waited, I could’ve gotten four for [$180 million], but I needed to lock my money in. I’d rather lock that [$100 million] in to know that I have that [$100 million] – chasing that extra [$60 million] or [$80 million] and then I don’t get it. I just wasn’t willing to take that risk.” 

While there are some similarities between Draymond Green's pay cut and Jalen Brunson's pay cut, the two situations are entirely different. Jalen Green was the number one option of a team that deserved the most money and took over $100 million less. It's almost impossible to see another superstar top-10 player in the league make the same decision as Jalen Brunson. Paul George certainly didn't make that decision, and neither does any other legitimate superstar player.

It remains to be seen whether or not Brunson's sacrifice will pay off in the long run, but for right now, it's certainly commendable.

Related Articles

Draymond Green Fires Back at NBA Legend's Outlandish Warriors Statement

Major Update on Golden State Warriors' Offseason Plans Revealed

Warriors Star Gets Honest About Being Teammates With Draymond