Draymond Green, a seasoned player for the Golden State Warriors, faces an indefinite suspension from the NBA following his recent on-court incident with Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkić. This suspension, Green’s second this season, comes after he was ejected for a flagrant physical altercation during Tuesday night’s game against the Suns.
The NBA’s decision factors in Green’s history of unsportsmanlike behavior and mandates that he fulfill specific league and team conditions before resuming play. The details and duration of the suspension remain unspecified. Green is scheduled to discuss a rehabilitation plan with Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy and his agent, including counseling and other steps for his future conduct.
In a recent article by CBS News, The incident occurred in the third quarter of the Warriors’ narrow loss to the Suns, where Green, in a sudden outburst, struck Nurkić in the face, knocking the 7-foot player to the ground. This aggressive act led to Green’s immediate ejection from the game and has been widely criticized for its non-sporting nature, including comments from Suns coach Frank Vogel denouncing it as reckless and dangerous.
This indefinite suspension follows a previous five-game penalty Green served for engaging in a chokehold against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Rudy Gobert. Despite defending his actions as protective of his teammates, Green acknowledged the need for personal improvement in such situations.
Green’s suspension history includes a postseason suspension for stepping on Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis and multiple ejections, totaling 18 in the regular season – the highest among active NBA players. This season alone, he’s been ejected from 20% of the games he’s played.
As the Warriors prepare for their upcoming game against the Los Angeles Clippers without Green, they face the challenge of moving forward with a 10-13 record, while Green confronts the consequences of his actions and the conditions for his return to the NBA.