SUMMARY
- Draymond Green was slapped with an indefinite suspension during the first half of the season for assaulting players during games.
- Rich Paul claims the 4x NBA Champion held himself accountable for his actions and the NBA took it easier on him especially due to his status as a player.
Draymond Green has been the heart and soul of the Golden State Warriors franchise for ages now. Having through so many ups and downs with the team, he holds great value to the franchise. However, he became the very season the Warriors had a rough patch midway through the 2023-24 season.
In December, Green was suspended indefinitely and he missed 16 games in total. The 4x NBA Champion was suspended after elbowing Jusuf Nurkic during a Warriors vs Phoenix Suns game. Before that incident, Green had already gotten chippy with various other players to only get ejected during those times. It wasn’t an easy run for the Warriors, who desperately needed him to anchor their defense.
Draymond Green has taken accountability for his actions
The NBA put Draymond Green through therapy and various corrective measures before getting reinstated to his team. While the entire world slammed the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year, he embraced what had happened and claimed being physical was a part of his game. The Warriors also stood firm with Green and continued to fight through the season.
Rich Paul, Green’s agent addressed the process that he was taken through during an episode of All the Smoke. He said, “That’s one person we talk [about] every day and our facetimes and calls is real some days. Some days we talk, it’s not even about basketball… I hold him accountable on things. But he also holds himself accountable. When you’re in the heat of the moment, sometimes things get away from you. But I know how he is as a person, I know where his heart lives and things like that.”
Stephen Jackson, who is one of the hosts of the podcast also added that Green is a player with high value. He claimed that teams find a lot of success with players that Green’s attitude, an instigator some might say.
The 2017 DPOY’s actions are still inexcusable
Rich Paul also brought out a couple of pointers regarding Draymond Green’s value as an athlete in the league. Paul claimed that any other two-way or low-value player wouldn’t have gotten a second chance. However, Green was let off the hook solely because of what he meant to the league. But at the same time, Paul reminded me that Green’s actions can be blown beyond proportions because of who he is.
“So we have [had] that conversation. It’s good to see him come out of it… from a mental place that he’s in. It’s a continuous process, that’s something you got to work on all the time. None of us are perfect,” Paul concluded. Draymond’s actions cannot be excused in any way, especially if they endanger another player’s physical well-being. Green has a history of dishing out shots below the belt, stomping on opposing players, or tackling them to the floor.