Does Draymond Green Deserve an Indefinite Suspension?

The Golden State Warriors loyal member since 2012 has a habit of getting into a lot of issues. Draymond Green has been with the Dubs since he entered the league and has been a part of their core team. Due to his exceptional performances, talent, and loyalty to the franchise, the Warriors offered him a $100,000,000 contract for 4 years in June. This shows his importance to the Warriors as well as how valuable he is to the team. However, Green has been controversy-prone throughout his career which has made him more of a liability than an asset for his team.

His most recent physical altercation in the matchup against the Suns on 12th December led the NBA to suspend him indefinitely. This is the sixth suspension for the four-time NBA champion, and the second for Green’s conduct this season.

Draymond Green’s history of suspensions

The Golden State Warriors faced the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA finals in June 2016. Green made headlines in game 4 after getting into a fight with, LeBron James. He responded to the heated scuffle at half-court by swinging in James’ direction and colliding with his crotch. Although at first, the referee’s ruling was a double foul, after careful consideration, the league decided to suspend DrayMagic. However, this had a significant influence on the Dubs, who were leading the series 3-1 before losing four games in a row and then losing the series.

Some incidents have even occurred with his teammates, like the one with Kevin Durant in 2018. During the Warriors’ clash against the Clippers, Green refused to pass the ball to Durant, which led to a heated agreement between them. This led to Green receiving a 1-game ban and set a bad rep for the Dubs, as it highlighted the internal rifts among the teammates. He was also involved in another incident with a teammate which reached extreme heights. The 4x All-Star threw a blow at Jordan Poole during a practice session, which caused a major controversy and earned him a fine for his misconduct.

Green received a suspension in March 2023 for surpassing the technical foul limit. He displayed his rage during a game against the Clippers by throwing the ball toward Russell Westbrook. At that point, he received his 16th technical foul and was suspended for one game without pay. Later, in April 2023, he received a 1-game ban against the Kings for stomping on the chest of Domantas Sabonis. This led to an automatic ejection. However, the league banned him due to his “history of unsportsmanlike acts”.

The bans Green received this season due to his hot temper

During the matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Draymond Green received a 5-game suspension. Within the first two minutes of the game, tensions between Warriors guard Klay Thompson and Timberwolves forward Jared McDaniels exploded, ending in a clash that saw jerseys grabbed and players flung around. Green entered the brawl and put Gobert in a headlock, resulting in the dismissal of Green, McDaniels, and Thompson from the game.

In a statement, the NBA said Green grabbed Gobert in an “unsportsmanlike and dangerous manner,” which contributed to the decision to punish him for five games. Green’s suspension was without pay and it resulted in a huge financial penalty of $769,970. Thompson, Gobert, and McDaniels each received a $25,000 punishment for their participation in the on-court brawl.

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However, the most recent suspension against the Phoenix Suns marks the 6of his career. The NBA banned Draymond Green indefinitely less than 24 hours after a violent on-court fight with Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic. The incident occurred during an intense battle, with Green striking Nurkic in the face, resulting in a Flagrant 2 foul and dismissal. The league quickly issued the punishment, claiming Green has a “repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts.” This is Green’s second suspension of the season, a worrying pattern that calls into question a prominent player’s on-court behavior.

What is the league and the Dubs’ response to Green?

According to the Operations Chef of the NBA, Joe Dumars, Green “will be required to meet certain league and team conditions before he returns to play.” Even the player who got hit in the face, Nurkic, was frustrated after the incident and said, “That had nothing to do with basketball. I’m just out there trying to play basketball.”

And now, how did the Warriors justify Green’s behavior? They didn’t actually. Warriors coach Steve Kerr has called out Draymond Green for his “inexcusable” behavior, namely his latest incident with Jusuf Nurkic. Kerr acknowledged the team’s need for Green but highlighted the importance of him being calm.

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Despite being 13 years into his career, Green’s issue persists as to how can he maintain his professionalism on the court. The Warriors are now in a holding pattern, with their patience decreasing as a result of Green’s frequent altercations, with no instant explanation or criticism from the club.