Draymond Green’s 5-game suspension: Why did it happen, and what does it mean for the Warriors?
The Golden State Warriors’ season has hit a potentially major stumbling block, due to the five-game suspension handed out to forward Draymond Green. So why has Green been suspended, and how will this impact the Warriors’ chances?
What happened?
Early in the first quarter of the Warriors recent game with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Warriors player Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels of the Timberwolves got into a tangle that escalated into a scuffle. Players from both teams joined the melee, with Green putting Timberwolves star Rudy Gobert in a headlock that lasted for upwards of 20 seconds. It required a number of players from both teams to get Green to release the headlock.
In the fallout from the incident, Thompson and McDaniels were ejected for technical fouls, while Green was removed from the game for a flagrant foul 2. It all means that, while current laws and regulations in the Golden State prohibit betting, for fans elsewhere, the Warriors have drifted out to +1400 in the Championship betting markets. But with Green and Curry, who is currently out with an injury, set to return in just a few games time, that could represent an attractive bet. There’s still plenty of time for the team to turn things around before the finals.
What were the sanctions?
McDaniels, Thompson and Gobert all received $25,000 fines for their parts in the incident, but it was Green who received the largest sanction. The star forward was given a five-game suspension, in addition to a $25,000 fine, for ‘escalating an on-court altercation’. The ban means he will miss the doubleheader with Oklahoma City Thunder, plus games against the Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings and the San Antonio Spurs.
Previous offences
This is far from the first time that Green has been in trouble with the NBA authorities. Overall, he has now received five suspensions during his 11-year career. Most notably, he missed a key playoff game last season after being found guilty of stamping on the chest of Sacramento’s Dominic Sabronis. Green also hit the headline for the wrong reasons in 2022, when he got into an altercation with rising star teammate Jordan Poole, that culminated in Poole receiving a punch to the face.
More recently, Green was ejected from last week’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers for receiving two technical fouls. Those prior indiscretions are likely to have played a big part in the decision to give Green such a severe penalty.
What now for the Warriors?
The first game of Green’s suspension saw the Warriors lose 128-109 to the Thunder. That puts them on a five-game losing run, and with some tough fixtures coming up, the California team needs to find a way of arresting the slide.
In Green’s absence, Jonathan Kuminga has been asked to step up. However, Green is a four-time NBA All Star, who leads the team in three-point percentages this season. He is also second in assists for the Warriors and is widely considered to be the emotional leader of the franchise. Coping without Green, as well as the injured Steph Curry, will not be an easy task.
