New York Knicks: 2020 free agents to wait for if 2019 offseason fails

Draymond Green (Unrestricted Free Agent)

The rare unrestricted free agent without a player option, Draymond Green will watch his $18.53 million salary expire after the 2019-20 season. It is the final run of a five-year, $82 million deal signed in 2015, 12 months before the salary cap’s historic spike in 2016.

No one knows what the Golden State Warriors will look like after the 2019 postseason. Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson can become free agents, and DeMarcus Cousins, who just tore his quad against the Los Angeles Clippers, may also leave.

This group could revert to the old Warriors, pending Thompson stays with Stephen Curry, but the guarantees at championships will no longer remain. If they fail to make the 2020 NBA Finals, will that provide enough cause for Green to leave?

The Michigan State product playing outside the confines of Curry, Thompson and Durant is intriguing. He has never taken more than 10.1 shot attempts per game in a season, but offers top help on the boards, dishing, stealing and blocking. At age 29, the chance to do this in a larger role is running out, and if the New York Knicks strike out in 2019, they can offer this opportunity next year.

Is Green a star to co-lead a team? The outside shooting leaves something to be desired, so potentially not, but if New York could take him on a salary smaller than the max, they can at least offer a supporting role to the star. Maybe another team with more uncertainty can offer a large role.