Draymond Green, the invaluable yet temperamental player for the Golden State Warriors, will not play in the NBA until at least the early part of 2024.
Green will not be able to step back onto the hardwood for at least the next nine games as he undergoes counseling regarding his uncontrollable and unpredictable outbursts of anger on the basketball court, according to The Athletic.
This latest suspension resulted from Green swinging around and slamming his hand against the face of the Pheonix Suns’ Jusuf Nurkić on Dec. 12. His action sparked a small skirmish on the court and then led to an immediate ejection from the contest.
Draymond has been ejected after flagrant foul on Nurkić pic.twitter.com/RmrLU5tdw8
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 13, 2023
The NBA banned Green from the game indefinitely on Dec 13. According to the publication, there “has been understanding and prepared to undergo the process required to return to the team in a full capacity.”
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said the indefinite suspension “makes sense,” though the normally verbose Green — who hosts his own podcast — has been radio silent since he was forced out of the Suns’ game.
“The one who choked Rudy [Gobert], the one who took a wild flail at Jusuf [Nurkić], the one who punched Jordan [Poole] last year — that’s the guy who has to change,” Kerr said of Green, according to The Athletic.
“You look at the past year and what’s happened,” the coach continued, “it’s clear he needs the opportunity to change.”
Green is considered indispensable to the Warriors’ aspirations to contend for another NBA championship, but even he has admitted that he must get his temper under control.
