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

LOS ANGELES — The Golden State Warriors consider Draymond Green wants critical assist to cease the more and more frequent outbursts in his lengthy historical past of unsportsmanlike conduct.

Coach Steve Kerr and basic supervisor Mike Dunleavy Jr. are hopeful Green’s indefinite suspension for hitting Phoenix middle Jusuf Nurkic within the face will present the time and motivation for his or her star ahead to make actual progress on the psychological and emotional challenges that led him to this grim level in a embellished profession.

“To me, this is about more than basketball,” Kerr stated Thursday night time earlier than the Warriors‘ 121-113 loss to the Clippers. “It’s about helping Draymond. I think it’s an opportunity for Draymond to step away and to make a change in his approach, in his life, and that’s not an easy thing to do.”

Dunleavy and Kerr each stated the workforce is glad with the NBA’s newest punishment for Green, the four-time NBA champion who was indefinitely banned Wednesday. The suspension was the sixth of Green’s profession and his fourth in 2023.

“He can’t do what he’s been doing, and he knows that,” stated Stephen Curry, Green’s teammate for 13 seasons and 4 championships. “Everybody has their mountains to climb, and Draymond’s are his, and I’m confident that he can get over the hump, however long it takes for him to get there.”

Dunleavy repeatedly stated the Warriors will “help” Green throughout his absence, however didn’t specify the character of that assist. Kerr stated Green will get counseling from professionals outdoors the workforce to establish the explanations behind his escalating collection of bodily outbursts, together with his resolution to punch then-teammate Jordan Poole throughout coaching camp in October 2022 – an act for which the Warriors fined Green, however didn’t droop him.

“The whole key for me is what this can do for his life long-term,” Kerr stated. “I want him to be happy. I want him to reap the rewards of an incredible career and legacy, and I want him to finish that career in a really wonderful, dignified manner. This guy is one of the great winners of all time, one of the great competitors of all time, but he’s crossed a line. He knows that. He knows he needs help, and he’s going to get that help, and we’re going to help him with it.”

Green will probably be across the Warriors extensively throughout his suspension, though he can’t be with the workforce on recreation nights. Although Green didn’t journey to Los Angeles, Dunleavy stated the Warriors are “not jettisoning the guy off somewhere.”

“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 in the course of the Warriors’ morning shootaround. “(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.”

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 in the course of the workforce’s 10-13 begin, he praised the play of 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 in regards to the nature of the suspension earlier than it was introduced this week, and all events agreed on a really indefinite suspension. Dunleavy stated there aren’t any assured parameters on the ban’s size.

Dunleavy additionally stated he thinks it’s affordable to carry Green to the next normal 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,” Phoenix star Kevin Durant, Green’s former Golden State teammate, stated 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 dropped 12 of 16 after shedding to the surging Clippers, and Dunleavy indicated the workforce’s subsequent 15 to twenty video games will play a significant position in deciding whether or not Golden State must make huge roster modifications for a workforce that has received 4 championships prior to now 9 seasons.

In the present NBA standings, not solely would Golden State not be within the playoffs, however the Warriors wouldn’t even qualify for the play-in match.

Compounding Green’s woes, the suspension nearly actually means he received’t play within the 65 video games often required for a participant to be eligible for postseason awards below the NBA’s new participation insurance policies, which suggests his annual spot on the all-defensive workforce is in jeopardy. And it certainly will probably 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.

Kerr will coach that Olympic workforce, and Green has indicated he want to play. Speaking in his position 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.