Draymond Green has never been shy about sharing his opinions, and his latest take on Jalen Brunson’s contract situation with the New York Knicks has drawn a sharp response from teammate Josh Hart. Green, who just signed a one-year, $27.7 million deal to stay with the Golden State Warriors, used his podcast to question why Brunson would voluntarily leave so much money on the table.
Brunson’s decision to take a significant pay cut — reportedly around $100 million less than he could have earned — allowed the Knicks to build out their roster without hitting the punitive second apron of the salary cap. That flexibility paid off when New York won the championship. But Green wasn’t buying the logic.
“It’s the New York Knicks, bro. They can afford it,” Green said on his show. “You ain’t got to take no discount for them to get paid.” He went further, suggesting that if a pay cut was necessary, someone like Josh Hart should have been the one to make the sacrifice instead of Brunson.
Hart did not let that slide. The Knicks forward took to X, formerly Twitter, with a simple but pointed message: “We got to normalize grown men not counting other peoples pockets.”
Money talks get messy in public
Professional sports is one of the few industries where salaries are public knowledge. That makes it easy for fans and players alike to comment on what someone “should” or “shouldn’t” earn. But Hart’s point cuts deeper. For a guy like Brunson, taking less money was a team-first move that directly led to a title. Criticizing that choice feels off, especially from another player who just got paid handsomely himself.
Green’s pro-player stance is clear — he wants every athlete to maximize their earnings. But telling another teammate to take the haircut instead of the star point guard is contradictory. Championship rosters depend on sacrifices like Brunson’s. Calling out specific players to be the ones making those sacrifices doesn’t sit well with the guy who got named.
As for Brunson, the pay cut might not be permanent anyway. Rumors have swirled that he’ll sign a massive extension with the Knicks down the line, rewarding him for the team-friendly deal he took now. If that happens, Green’s complaint might age as poorly as some of his other public feuds.
For now, Hart made it clear he’s not interested in having his salary discussed by anyone — especially not a guy on the other coast.
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