"Does Batman worry about gas in the Batmobile? F**k no, he doesn't" - Channing Frye believes Golden State Warriors should pay 4x NBA champion
Channing Frie believes the Golden State Warriors should offer an extension to four-time champion Draymond Green.
The Warriors spent a lot of money last season but were rewarded by winning the championship. However, they are in a very complicated situation regarding four key players - Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green - who're all eligible fpr extensions.
Wiggins only has a year left on his contract, while Poole is eligible to sign a rookie extension. Thompson has two years left on his deal, while Green has a player option next summer. Recent reports suggest the former Defensive Player of the Year could use it as leverage to sign a max deal worth $138.4 million.
Extension season is coming and the Warriors have to make some tough decisions that could come with major ramifications.
They begin next week with a championship pillar in Draymond Green, who wants to get paid.
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Poole and Wiggins are younger than Thompson and Green. However, the veteran duo have been part of the Warriors' core for four championships with Steph Curry and Andre Iguodala.
Thompson might be willing to postpone his extension, as he's trying to get his game back up after more than two years on the shelf. Meanwhile, Green believes he's worth a max contract, per Anthony Slater and Marcus Thompson of The Athletic. That's despite showing some signs of decline in the past few years.
On the "Road Trippin'" podcast, Channing Frye, Richard Jefferson and Allie Clifton debated whether Green deserves a max contract. Frye thinks Green has earned the max deal, while making a very weird analogy on the situation.
"Before I got on here, I said, 'What analogy can I use?'" Frye said. "And I said, 'Does Batman worry about gas in the Batmobile?' F**k no, he doesn't. Pay that man and you've won four championships."
He continued:
"If Steph and Klay are happy, pay that man 130 (million), I don't care. 150 (million)? I don't care because he's going to do everything you need. He's the bad guy for that team whose a super nice team. They need controversy."
Are Golden State Warriors willing to spend more money to keep their core?
The 2022 Golden State Warriors were the most expensive team in NBA history. The Warriors ownership had to pay $346 million in salaries and luxury tax. To keep the current core, Joe Lacob and company have to pay around $500 million if an extension for any of the four mentioned above kicks in.
However, are the Warriors willing to spend that much money in exchange for winning championships? In an appearance on the "TK Show" with Tim Kawakami of The Athletic, Lacob explained that the team is generating revenue despite spending a lot. He wants to do his best in retaining both the core in the coming years.
"We're in a stage where our players have gotten ... been with us longer," Lacob said. "And they make more money, and we want to retain them. We want to continue going for championships. It's piling all that money into player salaries. And that's what we've done here last year and the last few years, and we'll again do this year."