Steve Kerr says Warriors Draymond Greens indefinite suspension makes sense
The NBA’s indefinite suspension of Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green “makes sense,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Thursday.
“To me, this is about more than basketball. It’s about helping Draymond,” Kerr said. “I think it’s an opportunity for Draymond to step away and to make a change in his approach and his life and that’s not an easy thing to do. That’s not something you say, ‘OK, five games and then he’s going to be fine.'”
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The NBA suspended Green on Wednesday for striking Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkić in the face during Tuesday’s game.
The league previously suspended Green five games in November for his involvement in a fight during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. A scuffle started at midcourt less than two minutes into play when Green grabbed Minnesota center Rudy Gobert around the neck before players and coaches had to step in to break it up.
“This is about someone I believe in, someone I’ve known for a decade, someone who I love for his loyalty, his commitment, his passion, his love for his teammates, friends, his family. Trying to help that guy,” Kerr said. “Because the one who grabbed Rudy, choked Rudy, the one who took a wild flail at Jusuf, the one who punched Jordan (Poole) last year, that’s the guy who has to change and he knows that.”
Here’s a pretty impassioned Steve Kerr on the Draymond Green indefinite suspension. He agrees with it and believes it can help Draymond. pic.twitter.com/0FxN69qQbo
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 15, 2023
Green’s most recent suspension is the sixth of his NBA career.
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A look at Draymond Green's suspensions
The NBA said that before Green returns to the court, he is “required to meet certain league and team conditions.” The 33-year-old is expected to receive counseling and work with the Warriors and NBA while suspended, league sources said.
Kerr said “it’s not the answer to pick a number” of games to suspend Green because “it’s clear he needs the opportunity to change and that’s what an indefinite suspension gives him the opportunity for.”
Can Green be around the team during the suspension?
Yes. Green is permitted to be at the facility and can practice with the team. He is not allowed in the arena during games. But that doesn’t mean Green is currently around the team. Kerr said that both Green and the team need some space right now. I’d expect Green to show back up again regularly beginning next week when the Warriors return to San Francisco for an extended homestand.
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“We think the healthiest thing is for him to be around,” general manager Mike Dunleavy said. “It may not be every day but we are not jettisoning the guy off somewhere.”
“The hard part with this, again, is it’s not a sprained ankle,” Kerr said. “This is not 4 to 6 weeks and I’ll give you an update next week. That’s not what this is. This is much bigger than that and much more difficult to assess and to take care of. And so we have to give him the space and the time and the support he needs.” — Anthony Slater, Warriors senior writer
What else was said?
During the round-the-clock coverage of Green’s action and suspension, it was clear that Kerr had heard the Wednesday morning criticism of Steph Curry’s leadership from ESPN analyst Stephen A Smith. He made it a point to call it out.
“For anybody to question Steph Curry’s leadership, it’s actually kind of sickening to me,” Kerr said. “I saw some of that yesterday. It was disgusting. We’re talking about one of the finest human beings that I have ever been around. But that’s the climate that we live in. And these guys, it’s part of all of this. It’s just the climate we live in and the arrows that are, you know, slung at these guys and the judgment, the criticism, that’s fine.
“But it’s not easy. We’re all human beings. As a professional athlete, you have to deal with everything and you have to accept it. But there are times when you kind of have to say really, like, that’s the angle you’re going to take? You’re going to question Steph Curry’s leadership? We’re going to do that? Think about that.” — Slater
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(Photo: Harry How / Getty Images)
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