Suspending Green takes an unprecedented step
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has long stomached the occasional emotional outburst from forward Draymond Green for a singular reason: By tempering Green too much, you risk dulling his edge — that fiery, unyielding bravado that has become a big part of Golden State’s success.
But something changed in Kerr on Tuesday. After they reviewed video of Green’s expletive-laced exchange with Kevin Durant late in Monday night’s overtime loss to the Clippers at Staples Center, Kerr and general manager Bob Myers took unprecedented measures, suspending Green without pay for one game.
By publicly punishing Green and costing him $120,480, the Warriors threatened to worsen an already volatile situation. It is possible that, when basketball historians detail the demise of Golden State’s dynasty someday,
they’ll start with Green being forced to watch Tuesday night’s win over the Hawks from home.
What makes this dispute more surprising is Green’s relationship with the franchise seemed to be on stable footing before this week. He was a do-everything force, setting an aggressive tone on both sides of the court as he peppered younger players with pointers. Kerr recently said Green was the best he has ever seen him.
Issues were bubbling under the surface, however. Green grew increasingly frustrated in recent weeks with how Durant has handled his impending free agency, according to a league source unauthorized to speak publicly on the matter. By not reaffirming how much he has enjoyed his time with Golden State, Durant fueled speculation about where he could land next summer.
There is no debate that Green should’ve handled his issues with Durant better. That Green’s offense resulted in a suspension, however, is curious, given how the team has handed his past transgressions.
In February 2016, during halftime of a nationally televised game in Oklahoma City, Green unleashed an emotional tirade on Kerr that reportedly prompted at least one security guard to position himself outside the locker room. The team fined Green a few thousand dollars. Why not do the same this time, hash things out behind closed doors and move on?
“We felt like this decision merited the decision that we made,” Myers said, “but I have every confidence that he can move forward with it, our team can move forward with it, our organization, our players.
“This is part of the NBA. This is part of what happens. You hit it head-on. You make the best decision you can.”
Perhaps Kerr’s greatest gift as a coach is his ability to communicate with his players. In the past 2½ years, he has bonded with Green over their shared competitiveness, easing the tensions that once defined their relationship.
For this week’s events to be little more than a speed bump on Golden State’s path to a third straight NBA title, Kerr must ensure that a rift between two All-Stars doesn’t ruin the team’s chemistry.
Judging by his terse responses to Green-related questions after Tuesday’s win, Durant seemed far from over Green’s personal jabs. Green, for his part, might not fully get over being suspended by his team.
It should help that Stephen Curry, who will miss at least five more games with a strained left groin, has joined the team on its three-game swing through Texas. Outside of perhaps Kerr, Curry is the Warriors’ best peacemaker, the type of leader who commands the respect of everyone in the organization.
Had Curry been at Staples Center on Monday, he might have helped rein in Green’s emotions. The next day, after Green learned of his suspension, Curry reportedly stopped by Green’s house to discuss the situation.
In addition to being one of Green’s main confidants, Curry is close friends with Durant. This trip should provide plenty of opportunities for Curry to talk to both of his buddies about the importance of putting aside personal differences for the sake of the team.
“We’re all family,” forward Andre Iguodala said. “I fought with my brother a lot. … You just try to go out there and play, win the game. Family business is business. We handle that.”