It was not necessarily unexpected, but four-time NBA champion Draymond Green opted out of the final year of his contract with the Golden State Warriors on Monday.

Green declined his $27.58 million player option for the upcoming 2023-24 season and will test the free agency waters.

Granted, the Warriors are the betting favorites to retain his services, but Green’s agent Rich Paul said their camp will “explore all options.”

The 33-year-old occasionally makes headlines for non-basketball activities, but there is no denying the integral role he has played across multiple championships.

He has spent his entire 11-year NBA career with the Warriors.

If Green does leave the Bay Area, the Los Angeles Lakers are expected to be one of the frontrunners for the defensive stalwart. The Lakers would have to move some money around to make the finances work.

He is one of the faces of the franchise for the Warriors and the heart-and-soul tenacity he brings on the court would be tough to replace.

Odds are he sticks with the only team he has ever known, but for once, there is a conceivable chance he heads elsewhere.