Golden State Warriors stand by Draymond Green, say he’ll get assist throughout his indefinite suspension

LOS ANGELES — The Golden State Warriors imagine Draymond Green wants assist to curb his lengthy historical past of tough play, and basic supervisor Mike Dunleavy Jr. is hopeful an indefinite suspension supplies sufficient time for his or her star ahead to make actual progress.

Dunleavy stated Thursday that the workforce is happy with the NBA‘s latest punishment for Green, the four-time NBA champion who was indefinitely banned Wednesday after hitting Phoenix center Jusuf Nurkic in the face. The suspension was the sixth of Green’s profession and his fourth in 2023.

“I think this is something that a lot of people may see as a problem, but we’re looking to turn it into a positive,” Dunleavy stated on the UCLA campus through the Warriors‘ morning shootaround earlier than their sport in opposition to the Clippers.

“(Green is at) a point in his career and his life where we want to get some things straightened out, and maybe sometimes you need a jolt like that. But I think it’s been very positive, very open, and (we’re) extremely optimistic that we can get to where we need to go.”

Dunleavy repeatedly stated the Warriors will “help” Green throughout his absence, however didn’t specify the character of that assist. Green can be across the Warriors extensively throughout his suspension, though he can’t be with the workforce on sport nights.

“The thought process is there’s a lot of ways you can go about this, but for now, we think the healthiest thing is for him to be around,” Dunleavy stated. “It may not be every single day, but we’re not jettisoning the guy off somewhere.”

Dunleavy additionally unambiguously confirmed the Warriors are dedicated to the 33-year-old Green, who’s within the first season of a four-year, $100 million contract extension. Although Dunleavy pointedly stated Golden State’s beginning lineup hasn’t performed nicely sufficient through the workforce’s 10-13 begin, he praised the play of Stephen Curry and Green.

“He’s been here for a long time,” Dunleavy stated of Green. “He’s hung a ton of banners and means so much to this organization. I think this is about turning this thing into a positive and getting better. I think that happens, and we feel really good. Like I said, his play has been terrific. It’s just his lack of availability that’s not been great, and we want to make that better.”

Dunleavy stated Green and the Warriors had discussions with the NBA concerning the nature of the suspension earlier than it was introduced this week, and all events agreed on a really indefinite suspension. Dunleavy stated there are not any assured parameters on the ban’s size.

Dunleavy additionally stated he thinks it’s affordable to carry Green to the next customary after his historical past of misbehavior, together with the weird headlock he positioned on Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert throughout a skirmish final month, resulting in a five-game ban.

“I hope Draymond gets the help he needs,” stated Kevin Durant, the Phoenix star and Green’s former Golden State teammate, after the suspension was handed down Wednesday. “I know Draymond. He hasn’t been that way when I was around him and coming into the league. Hopefully he gets the help he needs and gets back on the court and puts all this stuff behind him.”

The Warriors have misplaced 11 of 15 heading into their assembly with the surging Clippers, and Dunleavy indicated that the workforce’s subsequent 15 to twenty video games will play a significant function in deciding whether or not Golden State must make massive roster strikes.

Entering Thursday, not solely would Golden State – a winner of 4 NBA titles within the final 9 years and a workforce that was extensively anticipated to contend for one this season – not be within the playoffs, however the Warriors wouldn’t even qualify for the play-in match.

“We’re going to try to fill that gap up until he returns,” stated Warriors ahead Jonathan Kuminga, whose minutes are prone to rise in Green’s absence. “But throughout this time, we’re all supporting Draymond. We’re all communicating. We’re all helping him. We’re just going through this moment. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen, but we’re always going to stay professional and just try our best to help our team win in the meantime waiting for Draymond to be back.”

Green’s absence comes with the Warriors already in a spot of early-season bother. They’ve blown a sequence of fourth-quarter leads, they usually haven’t gained a sport by double figures in nicely over a month whereas needing 9 beginning lineups to get by the season’s first 23 video games.

Klay Thompson has struggled offensively after failing to agree on an extension final summer time, after which he was benched towards the tip of Tuesday’s sport in Phoenix. Andrew Wiggins’ numbers are additionally nicely off his profession norms and final season’s customary.

Now they’ll be with out Green, their high defensive participant and a flexible chief.

Missing video games can even come at a large monetary value to Green. The first five-game suspension this season pressured him to forfeit $769,704, and this suspension will value him roughly $150,000 per sport whether it is lower than 20 video games, going as much as about $200,000 per sport after that.

The Warriors additionally determine to save lots of not less than $500,000 per sport on their luxurious tax invoice for every sport he misses.

Compounding Green’s woes, the suspension virtually actually means he gained’t play within the 65 video games that, typically, can be required for a participant to be eligible for the postseason awards below the NBA’s new participation insurance policies, which suggests his annual spot on the all-defensive workforce now appears to be in severe jeopardy. And it would certainly be a part of what USA Basketball takes into consideration when deciding whether or not Green, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, deserves a spot on the workforce that can go to subsequent yr’s Paris Games.

Golden State’s Steve Kerr will coach that Olympic workforce, and Green has indicated he want to play. Speaking in his function as a TNT analyst earlier this week, Grant Hill – USA Basketball’s managing director – stated Green putting Jurkic was “disappointing.”

“He’s got to use better judgment in that situation,” Hill stated.