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Draymond Green and his antics are well-known, well documented, and simply embarrassing for basketball. Last week Green spinning backfist Suns center Jusef Nurkic in the face during the game and has been suspended indefinitely as of the writing, but Green has a track record of some of the most idiotic, senseless, and dirty plays in NBA’s recent memory that he is reasonable for but who else should be accountable for enabling if not rewarding his antics?
Well, here’s a list of some very strong candidates that need to now step up and accept their part in creating the out of control and entitled monster that is Draymond Green but first here is a list of incidents that began way back in 2013 then you decide if the other parties deserve blame too.
Draymond Green’s Incidents
2013- Christmas day game against the Clippers elbows Blake Griffin in the neck that led to an ejection.
2016- Intentional kicks to James Harden, Steven Adams in the groin game 3 of the WCF, Kyrie Irving in the chest during the finals.
2016- Game 4 of the NBA finals after a failed flop attempt Green while getting up from a mix up with LeBron James punches him in the groin which lead to him being suspended in game 5 costing the Warriors that championship.
2018- Game 1 of the WCF against the Rockets after a James Harden basket, Green elbows Harden in throat or chest but that’s intense playoff basketball am I right folks?
2023- Draymond’s feet are back at it again this time in trying to kick Pelican’s swingman Herb Jones in the face after a charge/blocking play. Then in the playoffs against the Kings during scuffle for rebound getting back in transition Green blatantly stomped Domantas Sabonis in the chest that led to his ejection.
2023- Chokes Twolves center Rudy Gobert unnecessarily after a mix up between wolves Jaden McDaniels and warriors Klay Thompson where was suspended for 5 games. Almost a month later he throws a punch at Jusef Nurkic that led to an indefinite suspension.
With 141 technical fouls, 15 flagrant fouls, and 18 ejections certainly this is enough to show that Green is not only aware of his actions but that he does not care about the consequences or how it effects his team which all falls at the feet on the Warriors themselves.
The Golden State Warriors: Let’s start with the franchise that has done nothing but essentially reward Draymond for his behavior the Warriors. The Warriors front office and governorship have a sizable part of the blame to take for Green and his actions. The biggest example of enabling was this summer when the Warriors gave Green a 100-million-dollar extension after single handedly divided the locker room for the 2022-23 season when he punched Jordan Poole in the face days before the season started.
Do you think Draymond Green is likely to stop that kind of behavior/conduct going forward? I think we know that answer based on his incidents already to start this season that has led to him missing some games but another part of the blame when it comes to Draymond Green is the NBA itself.
The NBA- The NBA more specifically commissioner Adam Silver and executive vice president/head of basketball operations for the league Joe Dumars have some proverbial blood on their hands when it comes to Green. As much as of a good thing it is that Adam Silver is different from earlier commissioner the late David Stern, Silver’s very hands off like approach to this sort of discipline has reared its head in this situation.
But the life long relationship Green has with Dumars may be the biggest problem because of their father/son like bond they have from Green being his son’s childhood friend and teammate has made it seem like Dumars is shielding Green from correct punishment for his actions. However, after this recent incident with Nurkic may have forced Dumars to finally step back and let the severity of the consequences happen in order to send a message to Green finally, hopefully that’s the case but maybe the biggest culprit or enabler of all this maybe the franchise guy himself.
Stephen Curry- The creation of the monster Draymond Green perhaps started and could possibly end with Stephen Curry. Curry, who is the obvious face of the Warriors has seemed to have Green’s back through everything and basically protects Green because of his effect on Curry’s game throughout their time in Golden State.
Maybe it is time for Curry to finally step up and send the message that the Green has done will no longer be tolerated when it comes to his and the team’s success going forward. But why hasn’t that happened yet? Is Curry afraid to stand up to Green? Does Green have a unique spell over Curry and the franchise or does Green simply not care what anyone says, regardless if Curry wishes to maximize the couple of prime years he has left he may need to finally speak up and demand the Warriors shake things up and potentially move on from Green acknowledging their great run together but that at some point this has to end.
Whether Draymond Green is traded or released, wherever he plays has to be his last chance to remain in the league because these actions and responses he has shown only hurts the game, hurts the NBA, hurts the Warriors even if it’s their own fault, and lastly hurt any form of credibility Green wants for his career. Surely the Warriors will have a statue of Curry, Green, and Thompson in front of the Chase Center in the future, but does it mean enabling awful conduct and character for that? I don’t think so.
