"I could ride Steph's coattail on his farewell tour" - Draymond Green drops hints on announcing his retirement from Warriors
Draymond Green has been a staple of the Golden State Warriors' big three era, winning four titles with the team during their historic run. Last season, there were questions about whether Green could potentially part ways with the Warriors, however, that wasn't the case. Green re-signed with them, leading many to believe he will retire with the team.
Steph Curry indicated that he would like to have a long playing career and push the limits of what's believed to be possible like Tom Brady. At the same time, however, Klay Thompson has indicated that he sees the light at the end of the tunnel.
Given that, it appears as though Thompson may not be around for nearly as long as Curry. In the case of Draymond Green, however, the former Defensive Player of the Year seems to be on a similar timeline to Curry. He spoke on a recent episode of the Draymond Green Show:
"I'm in year 12 ... 2-3 more ... The only chance my. Last year is announced. If that last year happens to coincide with Steph's last year, Klay's last year, and if that's my last year that's the only chance that It gets announced because then I could ride Steph's coattail on his farewell tour and act like it's mine."
Looking at Steph Curry and Klay Thompson's targeted retirement timelines amid Draymond Green's talk
As previously mentioned, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson seem to be on two different timelines when it comes to their plans for retirement. Steph Curry has indicated in the past that he has even sought advice from Tom Brady on how to play past the age of 35.
While he knows that eventually his career will come to an end, he indicated in March of 2023 that he's feeling better than he expected for 35. Given that, he wants to follow in the footsteps of NFL stars such as Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers. He was quoted by ESPN at the time as saying:
"I feel like I got a lot left. The work I put into this I still enjoy. Who knows how [the future] looks? I talked to Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and other guys who have been on the other side of the halfway point.”
When it comes to Klay Thompson, the four-time champ has struggled this season, recently indicating that he believes the end is in sight. With free agency looming on the horizon this offseason, Thompson seems to be at peace with the fact that he will be playing a reduced role.
Given his struggles, and Steve Kerr bringing him off the bench, Thompson explained in an interview with The Athletic recently that the end is in sight. With that in mind, he also made it clear that he wants to retire a member of the Golden State Warriors, meaning his upcoming contract could be his last.
Whether the timelines sync up for Draymond Green, Steph Curry, and Klay Thompson to all retire together, only time will tell.