Warriors say Green will get ‘help’ during suspension
LOS ANGELES — The Warriors believe Draymond Green needs help to curb his long history of rough play, and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. is hopeful an indefinite suspension provides enough time for their star forward to make real progress.
Dunleavy said Thursday that the team is satisfied with the NBA’s latest punishment for Green, the four-time NBA champion who was indefinitely banned Wednesday after hitting Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the face.
The suspension was the sixth of Green’s career and his fourth in 2023.
“This is something that a lot of people may see as a problem, but we’re looking to turn it into a positive,” Dunleavy said during the Warriors’ morning shootaround before their game against the Clippers.
“(Green is at) a point in his career and his life where we want to get some things straightened out, and sometimes you need a jolt like that. But I think it’s been very positive, open, and (we’re) extremely optimistic that we can get to where we need to go.”
Dunleavy repeatedly said the Warriors will “help” Green during his absence, but didn’t specify the nature of that aid. Green will be around the Warriors extensively during his suspension, although he can’t be with the team on game 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 said. “It may not be every single day, but we’re not jettisoning the guy off somewhere.”
Dunleavy also unambiguously confirmed the Warriors are committed to the 33-yearold Green, who’s in the first season of a four-year, $100 million extension. Although Dunleavy pointedly said the Warriors’ starting lineup hasn’t played well enough during the team’s 10-13 start, he praised the play of Stephen Curry and Green.
“He’s been here for a long time,” Dunleavy said 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.”
Dunleavy said Green and the Warriors had discussions with the NBA about the nature of the suspension before it was announced this week, and all parties agreed on a truly indefinite suspension. Dunleavy said there are no guaranteed parameters on the ban’s length.
“I hope Draymond gets the help he needs,” said Kevin Durant, the Suns star and Green’s former Warriors 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.”
Missing games will also come at a sizable financial cost to Green. The first five-game suspension this season forced him to forfeit $769,704, and this suspension will cost him roughly $150,000 per game if it is less than 20 games, going up to about $200,000 per game after that.
The Warriors also figure to save at least $500,000 per game on their luxury tax bill for each game he misses.