Warriors Rumors: NBA Teams 'Grumbling' About GS's 'Competitive Spending Advantage'

Some NBA teams reportedly aren't happy that the league's salary-cap rules have allowed the Golden State Warriors to keep their deep and talented roster together for the long haul.

According to ESPN's Zach Lowe, some of the Warriors' rivals have been "grumbling" about the "competitive spending advantage" they have over other teams.

Per Lowe, the Warriors will soon have to consider contract extensions for Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Jordan Poole, Kevon Looney and Gary Payton II. If Golden State re-signs all of them, ESPN's Bobby Marks estimates the Warriors could have a payroll of $475 million with the inclusion of luxury-tax penalties.

As noted by Lowe, that would represent unprecedented spending in NBA history.

While maintaining Bird rights to a player allows a team to spend well above the salary cap in order to keep him, penalties come along with going too far over.

The Warriors spend a significant amount in luxury tax, and as pointed out by Lowe, tens of millions of dollars go from the Warriors to other NBA teams as part of revenue sharing and payouts to teams that aren't above the luxury-tax threshold.

Lowe also reported that some NBA teams—with the Warriors conceivably being among them—have proposed the idea of a discount against the luxury tax when it comes to the contracts of homegrown players.

That hasn't happened yet, but it would give big-spending teams like the Warriors some relief if it is ever adopted.

For now, the Warriors can spend at their discretion when it comes to keeping players in house, and not much can be done to stop them.

While Stephen Curry remains under a long-term deal, Wiggins is an unrestricted free agent and Poole is a restricted free agent after next season.

Green can also become a free agent after next season if he opts out. Otherwise, he will be a free agent after the 2023-24 season, as will Thompson.

The core of Curry, Thompson and Green are all well into their 30s, but keeping them for as long as possible makes sense from the Warriors' perspective since they can help with the transition to younger players like Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and James Wiseman.

The mix of experience and youth has served the Warriors well this year, as they are back in the NBA Finals after two years out of the playoffs and are tied 1-1 in the series with the Boston Celtics.

Golden State is playing in its sixth Finals in the past eight years, and if it can beat the Celtics, it will present the franchise's fourth championship during that time frame.

With Curry and Thompson healthy and playing at an elite level, plus the young stars coming into their own, the Warriors have a chance to remain championship contenders for many years to come.