Draymond Green’s Self-Sabotaging Antics Forces Daily Calls With Agent Rich Paul: “Earned the Right”

The Golden State Warriors weren’t at their prolific best this season. In fact, despite having most of their key players fit for most of the season, the Dubs could only manage to muster up 46 wins from 82 games. As a result, they finished as the 10th seed in a fiercely competitive Western Conference. A lot of aspects could be attributed to the Dubs’ slump in form. However, the constant self-sabotaging antics of Draymond Green remain a primary reason.

Draymond Green has grabbed the headlines on several occasions this season. However, it’s not always for the right reasons. The first instance occurred in November 2023, when Green choked T-Wolves’ Rudy Gobert. He earned a four-game suspension. But just a month later, another lengthy suspension beckoned Draymond after he punched Suns’ center, Jusuf Nurkić, in the face. This time, the NBA handed him an indefinite suspension, which was ultimately rescinded after Draymond missed 12 games.

During this challenging time, Rich Paul, Draymond’s agent, revealed on the All The Smoke podcast that he constantly had lengthy conversations with Green. He said, “There’s a to take it (aggression) and there’s an understanding of not taking it over. I think Draymond has earned the right to get all the way up to the line.” Having said that, Rich Paul suggested that Draymond Green needs to tone down his aggressive playing style, adding, “We have that conversation. It’s good to see him coming out of it from a mental place that he’s in. But it’s a continuous process. None of us are perfect.”

Draymond Green has played an instrumental role in the Golden State Warriors’ success over the years. Therefore, it’s of utmost importance that he keeps his cool and stays out of suspension trouble. But has Draymond learned his lesson?

Will Draymond Green remove the “antics” from his game?

During his one month suspension, Draymond Green attended sessions with a therapist, as suggested by the NBA. He opened about his experience during the suspension in an interview just before his return. He said, “Antics isn’t something that got me here, and so when I look back on these situations it’s like, ‘Can you remove the antics?’ I’m very confident I can remove the antics.”

After comments like this, one might think that Draymond Green would reduce his self sabotaging ways. If you thought so, think again because Draymond has persevered with his ways. On 26th March, Draymond earned his fourth ejection of the season against the Orlando Magic. The reason: excessively arguing with the referees. This incident almost made Stephen Curry cry due to sheer frustration with Green’s antics.

Just a game later, Green was involved in another physical altercation in which he almost kicked Hornets’ Grant Williams. He wasn’t ejected, but this just goes on to show that Draymond Green’s competitive and combative nature will always get the better of him. What are your thoughts? Will Green change?