The NBA reportedly is suspending Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green for five games for his role in an altercation with Rudy Gobert in Tuesday night’s Minnesota Timberwolves-Warriors game.
BREAKING: Draymond Green has been suspended for FIVE games after last night’s altercation against the Timberwolves, per @wojespn pic.twitter.com/XXCve9Nhoy
— Ahn Fire Digital (@AhnFireDigital) November 16, 2023
The suspension will cost Green $769,704 ($153,941 per game). https://t.co/WKkq8cDEQ2
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) November 16, 2023
After Jaden McDaniels and Klay Thompson got tangled up at half court on Tuesday night, Green came running into the scuffle to grab Gobert and put him in a headlock.
The scuffle resulted in Green, Thompson and McDaniels all being ejected from the Warriors’ loss on Tuesday.
A HUGE SCUFFLE DURING THE WARRIORS-TIMBERWOLVES GAME 🍿 pic.twitter.com/01UcMOczs2
— Ahn Fire Digital (@AhnFireDigital) November 15, 2023
Draymond Green had Rudy Gobert in a CHOKEHOLD 😳 pic.twitter.com/eTN1KAcSx1
— Ahn Fire Digital (@AhnFireDigital) November 15, 2023
Punishments were also handed out to Gobert, McDaniels and Thompson.
The NBA is fining Klay Thompson, Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels $25,000 each, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 16, 2023
Green’s actions against Gobert were certainly over the top, as it doesn’t seem like Gobert was doing much to escalate the situation until Green got involved. Now, the Warriors will have to navigate the next few games without their leader on the defensive end of the floor.
It has been a troubling week for Green, as he was ejected from Saturday night’s loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers after getting into an altercation with Cavs star Donovan Mitchell.
Donovan Mitchell and Draymond Green were getting into it 👀🍿 pic.twitter.com/h7HvkKQY2A
— Ahn Fire Digital (@AhnFireDigital) November 12, 2023
Green picked up his second technical foul because of the incident – leading to his ejection – and it appeared that Mitchell knew that he’d be able to get the Warriors star ejected from the game by giving him a little push.
That ejection didn’t stop Green’s antics, as he also got into a yelling match with Anthony Edwards in the Warriors’ game against the Timberwolves on Sunday. Green antagonized Edwards after fouling him hard in the game.
“The f— are you going to to about it then?” Green said to Edwards, who took exception to the hard foul. “What you gonna do about it?”
The Warriors’ next five games are against the Oklahoma City Thunder (two games), Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs. Without Green, the Warriors will likely lean on youngster Jonathan Kuminga more at the forward spot.
Veteran Dario Saric could also see an increase in minutes with Green sidelined.
So far this season, Green is averaging 8.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game while shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 45.0 percent from beyond the arc.
He’s a terrific defender, so Golden State will need to look elsewhere to deal with some of the top players that it will face over these next five contests.
Green should be able to return from his suspension on Tuesday, Nov. 28 against the Sacramento Kings.
