According to league sources, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has entered a counseling program and is expected to remain sidelined due to his previously announced suspension for at least the next three weeks – approximately 12 games.
The NBA announced an indefinite suspension for the 33-year-old Green on Dec. 13 for striking Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkić in the head/face during their matchup one night earlier. NBA executive vice president and head of basketball operations Joe Dumars said in a statement that Green’s “repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts” played a role in the unique and extended punishment.
The incident with Nurkic was Green’s third ejection in 15 games this season. Previously, he had been ejected on Nov. 11 for, in part, shoving Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell into the first row of the crowd, and on Nov. 15 for putting Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in a chokehold. Green was suspended five games for the Gobert episode.
Before Green can return to action, he will be “required to meet certain league and team conditions,” though the specifics have not been made available. Warriors coach Steve Kerr said last week after the suspension was announced: “To me this is about more than basketball, it’s about helping Draymond. I think it’s an opportunity for Draymond to step away and make a change in his approach, in his life, and that’s not an easy thing to do. That’s not something you say ‘OK, we’ll do five games’ and then he’s gonna be fine. The league did five games after the incident with Rudy [Gobert}. That’s not the answer, to pick a number. The answer is to help Draymond, give him the help he needs. Give him the opportunity to make a change that will not only help him, help our team, but help him for the rest of his life. This is not just about an outburst on the court. This is about his life. This is about someone who I believe in, someone who I have known for a decade, who I love for his loyalty, his commitment, his passion, his love for his teammates, his friends, his family. Trying to help that guy.”
Editorial credit: Leonard Zhukovsky / Shutterstock.com