The NBA has finally taken action against one of the league’s dirtiest players after an incident Tuesday night. Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors has been suspended indefinitely by the league after he struck Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic during a game the Suns eventually won. Green was assessed a flagrant-2 and ejected from the game, but he has a lengthy history of aggressive, violent, and unprofessional behavior, and the league has seen enough for the time being.
Green’s suspension will start immediately, and the unpredictable star will have to jump through some hoops before he is allowed back on the court this season. According to the league, Green “will be required to meet certain league and team conditions before he returns to play.” For a league that is struggling with its popularity and public perception, Green’s actions are yet another black eye.
Earlier this week, the aging face of the league, Lebron James, once again embarrassed himself and the NBA by walking onto the court late and ignoring the National Anthem as he removed his warmups courtside. Social media and conservative commentators have roundly criticized the enigmatic star, and for good reason. To disrespect the country that allowed him to be obscenely wealthy is a bad look for the league. The Green suspension adds to the league’s misery.
Green is a repeat offender who has faced suspension before for his erratic behavior on court. He has been ejected three times, and it isn’t Christmas. Green’s last suspension was five games for choking Minnesota Timberwolf center Rudy Gobert during a contentious first-quarter dust-up. The latest suspension is certain to be longer than the five games for the choking incident, and the Warriors are struggling to stay competitive even with the enigmatic star.
The Warriors sit at 10-13 in the Western Conference but are 3-5 when Green isn’t on the hardwood. In the wake of the latest incident, the Warriors and the NBA are taking steps to get Green counseling to help him reign in his anger. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Warriors General Manager Mike Dunleavy and Green’s agent are set to meet to discuss a course of action for the temperamental star.
The league released a statement addressing the situation, saying “Green’s repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts” is to be taken into account when the length of the suspension is finally revealed. For now the NBA is holding off on announcing the number of games Green will be out while the player addresses whatever the issues are that keep precipitating his behavior. Whatever the issues are, it is clear Green’s antics are wearing thin.
The latest incident resulted in the Suns player face-down on the court after getting backhanded. Green attempted to apologize and explain what happened. He said: “He was pulling my hip and I was swinging away to sell the call. Made contact with him. As you know, I’m not one to apologize for things I meant to do, but I do apologize to Jusuf because I didn’t intend to hit him.” Whether it was sincere or an attempt to do damage control, clearly, the NBA wasn’t convinced. Green continued: “So I was just selling the call because he was grabbing me and pulling my hip back. So I spun away. And unfortunately, I hit him. And so like I said, I apologize to Jusuf because I didn’t intend to hit him.”
Coach Steve Kerr weighed in: “We need him. We need Draymond. He knows that. We’ve talked to him. He’s got to find a way to keep his poise and be out there for his teammates.” Whether Kerr’s pleas will be heeded by Green or not, the NBA must take a hard line. This type of horrific, erratic behavior can’t be tolerated by a league that is having a hard enough time with ratings and public perception, and Draymond Green should be suspended until he works out whatever issues are causing his violent behavior.
Featured image screen grab from embedded video
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