The 2012 NBA Draft for the Golden State Warriors might be looked at as the draft that changed everything for the Dubs. They selected Harrison Barnes, Festus Ezeli and Draymond Green in that draft and all three players have been instrumental to the success of the franchise as of late.
Draymond Green got paid over the summer when he agreed a long-term deal which extends over five years and is worth over $80 million. Green got his money and the other two players he was drafted with in 2012 are looking to get their own paydays but it won’t be happening before the extension deadline. Barnes reportedly already rejected a contract offer from Golden State and Ezeli hasn’t even heard anything from the Warriors.
Following from Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
Warriors have not had contract extension talks with C Festus Ezeli and he is expected to be a restricted free agent next summer, source said
— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) October 27, 2015
And from Diamond Leung of Bay Area News Group.
Harrison Barnes deal won't be done per Bob Myers
— Diamond Leung (@diamond83) October 27, 2015
As both players hit restricted free agency, the market for them could be very different. Barnes could come close to a max contract just due to the fact that there will be so many teams with money and the salary cap in the NBA is expected to sky-rocket. Over 20 teams will have over room to offer max contracts and there is nowhere near that many max players available next summer. For Ezeli, his contract could be in the $11-15 million range along with fellow future restricted free agent, Portland Trail Blazers young big man Meyers Leonard.
For now, the extensions won’t be happening but it will be something interesting to have both players prove themselves as the Warriors try to repeat as NBA Champions.
