Josh Hart has hit back at Draymond Green after the Golden State Warriors veteran questioned Jalen Brunson’s decision to leave more than $100 million on the table to help the New York Knicks build a championship roster.
Green argued Brunson never needed to accept a discounted extension because of the Knicks’ financial strength.
“It’s the New York Knicks, bro. They can afford it. You ain’t gotta take no discount,” Green said speaking on the Club 520 Podcast. “My situation is different because Steph (Curry) making 270 (million), Klay (Thompson) making 180. Alright, something gotta give. Cool, I could take less. But he the top guy! By the way, let Josh Hart or somebody else take less. They in my role, let one of them take less, but guess what? Steph Curry ain’t taking a penny less and neither did Klay Thompson. If this gonna work, somebody do. Well guess what I ain’t really expecting them to take less. I don’t know what he doing, but I’m happy for him.”
Hart didn’t take long to respond.
Quoting a clip of Green’s comments on X, the Knicks wing wrote: “We got to normalize grown men not counting other peoples pockets.”
Brunson’s contract decision has been widely viewed as one of the biggest reasons New York was able to assemble its championship-winning roster.
Rather than waiting for free agency and pursuing a five-year contract reportedly worth around $270 million, Brunson instead signed a four-year extension valued at $156.5 million.
The financial flexibility created by that decision allowed the Knicks to complete trades for Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges while remaining within the NBA’s salary cap.
Those additions proved crucial as New York captured its first NBA championship since 1973.
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