$75 Million Greed, Not Adam Silver, Is What Swayed Draymond Green’s Retirement Decision, Claims Stephen A. Smith

The NBA reinstated Draymond Green on Saturday after serving a suspension that began on December 12th. The suspension, resulting from Green hitting Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkić in the face, led to him missing 12 games. During this time, the four-time NBA champion had ample opportunity for reflection on his actions off the basketball court. Currently, the Golden State Warriors have been navigating through a challenging stretch of games, experiencing a downturn in what has been an unpredictable regular season.

Green very recently came out with a podcast episode where he talked directly about the suspension. Specifically, Green talked about how he had a heart-to-heart with league commissioner, Adam Silver. The forward claimed he wanted to retire, but Silver talked him out of it. However, Stephen A. Smith has a completely different take on it. During the First Take show, Smith responded to that, saying, “I know this about Draymond. Draymond has a lot of aspirations, and Draymond counts dollars as well as the best of them.” 

He further added, “Considering the fact that he got a 100 million dollar deal over the next four years, and this is the first year of that deal with about 70 to 75 million left on the table after this season. That brother wasn’t walking away from that money.” However, Smith clarified that he didn’t insinuate that Green was “lying to Adam Silver,” rather, in his opinion, he thought that “pride,” had kicked in for the former Defensive Player of the Year.

Stephen A. concludes by acknowledging that everyone feels at times feels like “I ain’t got time for this”, but when the four-time champion understood the money he had left on the table, his pride took a back seat in a “nanosecond”. Now that Draymond Green is back, the Dubnation should be able to breathe a sigh of relief.

Could Draymond Green’s return be the last hope for the Dubs this season?

Over the past decade, the Golden State Warriors have been synonymous with triumph and achievement. They secured four NBA titles in the last nine years, with Draymond Green playing a pivotal role. However, this season has seen the Warriors appear as a mere shadow of their once formidable selves, currently holding the 11th spot in the Western Conference standings with 17 wins and 19 losses.

Read More: Remorseful Draymond Green Calls His Suspension “Blessing in Disguise” for a Special Reason

Draymond’s return could potentially catalyze to rejuvenate their season. In his absence, the Warriors displayed defensive vulnerabilities, notably in their loss to the Nuggets. Despite leading by 13 points entering the fourth quarter, the Warriors succumbed to the Nuggets’ comeback led by Jokic’s outstanding performance. Draymond’s comeback raises questions about the Warriors’ title aspirations.

Can the Dubs overcome their slump? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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