Warriors star Draymond Green is facing the heat this week for his meltdown on the court during Golden State’s in-season game against the Timberwolves. In a scene that has gone viral online, Dray is seen putting Rudy Gobert in a chokehold after an incident broke out less than two minutes into the game. As a result of the incident, Dray will lose at least $750,000 in salary as he sits for the next five games.
“The league called Draymond Green’s headlock/choke on Rudy Gobert a dangerous maneuver on the court,” reported Adrian Wojnarowski. “The league again acknowledged Green’s history… I think the length of it surprises the Warriors and many around the league. Five games for Draymond, that’ll cost him about $769,970 in lost salary.”
Klay Thompson, Rudy Gobert, and Jaden McDaniels were also fined $25,000 each, per Adrian Wojnarowski.
Draymond has made millions acting as the “enforcer” for the Warriors and this is hardly the first time that he’s taken things too far. But even for a guy as decored and impactful as Draymond Green, there comes a point where it becomes too much and the NBA is clearly sending him a message that it’s time to calm down.
Draymond Unfazed By Suspension
For better or worse, Draymond will never change and it’s why his history of controversial plays stretches back several years. In this case, Draymond was unapologetic after the game and it’s unlikely his opinions have changed after the NBA’s official ruling. Just over the past few years alone, Green has grown increasingly unstable on the court, going from wild leg kicks in the groin to knocking out his own teammate during pre-season scrimmage.
Putting Rudy Gobert in a choke hold and dragging him across the court is certainly among his most egregious sins but it will almost surely not be the last we see from the 4x champ. As time goes on, and the Warriors’ core gets older, Green may continue to lash out like this as he comes to grips with the changing times.
Warriors Are In Trouble
Usually, the Warriors have enough to overcome Draymond’s on-court antics, but this season is different. Even with Stephen Curry playing some of his best basketball, the Dubs are struggling to find consistency this season and are now 6-6 with a losing record at home. Klay Thompson has looked washed, Andrew Wiggins has looked lost, and the team’s lack of size is being exposed to an extreme degree. To make matters worse, Stephen Curry is set to miss the next few games with an injury, meaning the Warriors might be without their superstar for several games.
When you put these problems in tandem with rising superpowers in the West like the Suns, Lakers, Timberwolves, and Thunder, it’s tough to imagine that the Warriors can keep winning like they used to. This season, we will find out just who the Warriors are and how much they have left in the tank for what could be their final chapter together. One way or another, Draymond Green will have a part to play and he will be there when it ends, just like he was there when it began all those years ago. The biggest question for Draymond is what kind of ending he wants for this historic dynasty. If he plays his cards right, Green can do his part to help ensure that his team goes out on their own terms.
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