During a recent NBA game, a major incident happened between Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green and Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic. Green, known for his intense playing style was ejected after receiving a flagrant 2 foul for hitting Nurkic in the head during the third quarter. This was Green’s third ejection of this season and has sparked a lot of debate about the potential consequences.
ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith weighed in on the situation, predicting a long suspension for Green. In a recent episode of “First Take” Smith claimed that the Warriors’ star will face a suspension of at least ten games. This prediction also considers Green’s previous suspension of five games earlier this season for a headlock on Rudy Gobert.
“Draymond Green is going to get suspended for about 10 games minimum… [The NBA is] going to bring the hammer down… The worst thing that could have possibly happened, believe it or not… was that sound from [Jusuf] Nurkic.”
– Stephen A. Smithpic.twitter.com/XkSvy9RHPG
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 13, 2023
“I am not one to apologize for things I mean to do, but I do apologize to Jusuf because I didn’t intend to hit him,” Green said after the game, per Kendra Andrews of ESPN. “I sell calls with my arms … so I was selling the call … and I swung and unfortunately I hit him.”
After the game, Green expressed his regret over the incident, stating that while he doesn’t usually apologize for intentional actions, he did not mean to hit Nurkic and offered his apologies. Not to mention, the impact of the swipe was significant, sending Nurkic to the floor. Nurkic expressed his concern about the incident, stating that it had “nothing to do with basketball.”
Stephen A. says Adam Silver will be directly involved with Draymond Green’s suspension
In the same episode, Stephen A. Smith highlighted how serious Draymond Green’s situation is, stating that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will play a direct role in the decision involving Green’s suspension. Smith added that his sources indicate that the league office is actively discussing the matter.
“This is not going to be a Joe Dumars’ decision, this is not going to be just a committee decision. Adam Silver, the commissioner of the National Basketball Association, is going to be directly involved with the decision that comes down involving Draymond Green.”- Smith stated.
Green’s history of heated on-court behavior seems to be an important factor in this decision. Smith expressed his concern with the situation, particularly in light of Nurkic’s post-game comments. This potential suspension comes at a difficult time for the Warriors, as they go through the season with inconsistent performances from key players like Klay Thompson.Green’s absence might need adjustments in the team’s strategy and rotations, presenting challenges for head coach Steve Kerr. The NBA community is eagerly anticipating the league’s decision on Draymond and how the Warriors will manage to make a comeback in the season.
