Even though Draymond Green turned down a $27.5 million (£21.6 million) player option, he and the Golden State Warriors will almost certainly sign a new multi-year deal this summer.

Green, who will be 33 years old in the upcoming 12th season of the league, is making his maiden foray into unrestricted free agency. After being chosen by the Warriors in 2012, the four-time NBA champion spent more than a decade in the Bay Area.

This offseason, there have been whispers that the veteran would join forces with LeBron James on the Los Angeles Lakers, but the financial feasibility of such a move is questionable. On the other side, the Warriors have traded Jordan Poole to the Wizards in exchange for Chris Paul in an effort to clear cap space for future transactions.

It appears that Green will remain in his current position even if the team has lost long-time general manager and president of basketball operations Bob Myers. There isn’t a dearth of enthusiasm from throughout the league, either, because of that position.

According to Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, who is also a point guard, Green represents a “dream scenario” for the team that would keep their franchise player around, as reported by The Athletic. In addition to re-signing Jerami Grant, the Blazers are reportedly planning to make a statement in free agency by luring the long-time Warrior to join the team.

For that transaction, Joe Cronin, general manager of the Portland Trail Blazers, has his hands full. The Sacramento Kings, who have a Green-shaped hole in their salary cap space, don’t have any such worries.

Mike Brown, who was an assistant coach for the Warriors, is now with the Kings. They are also owned by Vivek Ranadive, a former Warriors minority owner.

But it looks like Steve Kerr will get his wish: Green will finally commit to the one organization he’s ever known for the long haul. The rumors indicate that a multi-year deal to keep their emotional leader will be the end result, as Marc Stein and others reported over the weekend.

Throughout his life, Green has maintained that remaining in the Bay was his first choice. “What I can tell you is I want to be here,” he reiterated following the Warriors’ elimination from the playoffs by the Lakers.

“I’ve been here 11 years, and you just don’t throw that away, and, quite frankly, I think we still have more championships that we can and will win.”Having said that, I am interested in being here and am cognizant of the fact that this is a business, as well as the commercial aspects of the situation and the consequences that will result from the new CBA. I am well-aware of all that; I believe victory is worthwhile, and I am confident that we will ultimately prevail.

Simply said, it was Kerr. Listen, we aren’t even in the conversation for the title if Draymond isn’t back. Indeed, we are aware of that.

That’s how crucial he is to our success and identity. His return is greatly desired by me. It appears like Kerr will achieve his goal.