Draymond Green Suspended After His Actions Rise To The Level Of Significant Discipline

After a heated late-game exchange during Monday night’s 121-116 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers (8-5), and after hours of organizational conversations between the Golden State Warriors senior leadership, the Warriors (12-3) decided to suspend Draymond Green for one game without pay.

Draymond Green Suspended by warriors

Kevin Durant was slapping his hands and calling for the ball as Green gathered a defensive rebound in the final moments of Monday’s game. Green got the ball and tried to move up the court but lost control and failed to take a shot.

Several of Green’s teammates challenged him on his decision-making, which led to another confrontation after the game in the Warriors locker room.

“Things happen like that in sports,” Warriors guard Shaun Livingston insisted.

GSW senior leadership were unwilling to dismiss Green’s verbiage toward Durant, citing that his actions rose to the level of significant discipline.

Jonas Jerebko started in place of Green on Tuesday and put up 14 points and 13 rebounds in a 110-103 win over the Atlanta Hawks (3-11).

Durant’s looming free agency, along with teammate Klay Thompson‘s, will hang over the Warriors as they try to pursue a third straight NBA title.

“This is the NBA,” Kerr said. “There’s guys either under contract, they’re upcoming coming free agents. It’s the business. We’re focused on this year. I don’t think anybody in our locker room, anybody on our coaching staff, thinks twice about Kevin’s free agency this summer. That’s next summer. We’re coaching this year, we’re playing this year.”

Green’s suspension which will cost him $120,480 and may put a strain on the team’s future together.

“Knowing him for however many years I’ve known him, if caring too much is something that he struggles with, well, that’s who he is,” Myers said of Green. “We felt that this action merited the decision we made, but I have every confidence that he can move forward with it, our team can move forward with it, our organization, our players. Because again, this is part of the NBA, this is part of what happens.”

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Kerr echoed Myers’ sentiments on Green.

“Draymond is always going to be who he is,” Kerr said. “Draymond is a powerful force. You guys know that. He’s a huge reason why we’ve had so much success here, and Draymond is going to continue playing the way he plays, and I don’t see him operating any other way.”

Durant left the locker room abruptly and marched directly to the team bus. Green was one of the primary Warriors players responsible for recruiting Durant to Golden State three years ago from Oklahoma City.

The Warriors will head to Texas Thursday to face off against the Houston Rockets (6-7). The game will air at 8:00 p.m. EST on TNT and NSBA.

Article by Dewayne Goforth