Just six games after returning from a 5-game suspension without pay for choking Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert (Nov 16), the Golden State Warriors center Draymond Green got back to his antics, this time, against the Phoenix Suns. Green swung at Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the third quarter and hit him in the face. Unforgivingly attributing Green’s tomfoolery as “unsportsmanlike” by the NBA, he got ejected for the 18th time in his career—most among active NBA players—after getting awarded with a Flagrant 2 foul.
Draymond is likely to receive a harsh punishment from the league for his actions. Hall of Famer Charles Barkley believes the Warriors need to step in and take charge of the situation before Adam Silver’s decision. “It’s up the Golden State Warriors,” he said.
Charley Barkley says GSW needs to step in before Adam Silver
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NBA legend Charles Barkley was a guest on the ‘Dan Patrick Show’. According to Barkley, the Warriors front office should be first in penalizing Draymond Green for his actions against Nurkic and not wait for Adam Silver. Naturally, a stern message coming directly from the boss might cause more embarrassment to Draymond. “Adam doing something really doesn’t matter. But when your boss says, ‘Hey, you know what? It’s time for us to sit you down because you know, you just lose money when the league suspends you.’
“I think you need to be embarrassed when your boss says, ‘you know what? You are hurting the team. I’m gonna do something to you.’ So I think it’s up to the Golden State Warriors.” Dan Patrick also asked Barkley if Green’s antics are a “necessary evil” for the Warriors’ success.
“It’s a necessary evil when you are winning, not when you are losing,” Barkley responded.
The Hall of Famer compared Green’s situation to the later stages of his career. Charles Barkley believes the athlete is resorting to these tactics because he is no longer the player he once was during the Warriors Championship runs. But what did Jusuf Nurkic have to say about the guy that punched him? “Personally, I feel like that brother needs help. I’m glad he didn’t try to choke me,” he said.
The most recent update since the story developed from earlier today is that Draymond has been indefinitely suspended. The NBA noted, “This outcome takes into account Green’s repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts. Green’s suspension will begin immediately. He will be required to meet certain league and team conditions before he returns to play.”
Watch This Story: Has Stephen Curry Won His Last Championship With Warriors Amid Serious Concerns Over Draymond Green and Klay Thompson’s Future?
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Can the Warriors save their season?
Draymond Green will most likely receive a huge suspension for his actions in the last game. As per the NBA’s official rules, any player who throws a punch will get ejected immediately and suspended for a minimum of one game.
Green has recently come off a 5-game suspension, so many expect the upcoming punishment to be even more harsh. That means the Warriors will have to stay afloat in his absence. That will be extremely difficult for Stephen Curry and Co. because they have been struggling all season. Klay Thompson is playing like a shell of himself, and Chris Paul has been in and out of the line-up due to injury.
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The only constant in the chaos for the Warriors is their superstar, Stephen Curry. He has single-handedly kept the Warriors alive this season. Steph is averaging 29.1 points and 4.4 assists. The Warriors need to make some big decisions before they dig themselves a hole they cannot get out of. Do you think the Warriors should give Draymond Green a stern message?
Read More: “New Windmill”: Dwight Howard and the NBA World React to Draymond Green’s Punch to Jusuf Nurkic