Kevin Durant was out for last night’s game between the Suns and the Warriors, which saw Draymond Green punch Jusuf Nurkic in the face. Green’s been suspended indefinitely and will have to take steps to manage his outbursts before the NBA clears him to return. Durant reacted to Draymond’s actions after the Suns’ loss to the Nets, expressing genuine concerns for his former teammate’s mental health.
“That was insane to see. Never seen that before in an NBA game. It’s incident after incident, I hope he gets the help he needs. He hasn’t been that way when I was around or coming into the league so I hope he gets the help he needs, get back on the court and put all this stuff behind him.”
Kevin Durant was asked by @DuaneRankin about the Draymond Green situation from yesterday.
He said it was insane to see, and he’s never seen anything like that on a basketball court. He hopes Draymond gets the help he needs because it’s incident after incident. pic.twitter.com/Qq1A7TUAh2
— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) December 14, 2023
The tone of concern everyone is showing regarding Draymond is a little worrying. Up until now, most people assumed Green has been acting out on the court because that’s what he always has done as an intimidation ploy. But the Warriors were also good enough for Green to move on and focus on the game.
In a season where the team is struggling the most it has in their dynasty era with everyone healthy, it seems Green’s outbursts grab a hold of him and cause him to act out. Whether the outbursts are just who he is, a reaction to his and the team’s decline, or genuine angry reactions to mild on-court annoyances, Green needs to find a way to manage them.
These outbursts could one day end up injuring a player on the court. With a five-game suspension for what he did to Rudy Gobert proving ineffective, the NBA will likely try and extend this suspension for as long as possible to send the message loud and clear to Draymond and the Warriors.
Jusuf Nurkic Also Said Draymond Needs To Get Help
While Durant spoke to Draymond in a positive and encouraging tone, Jusuf Nurkic was a lot angrier after the incident and also recommended that Green go and get help.
“What’s going on with him? I don’t know. Personally, I feel like that brother needed help. I’m glad he did not try to choke me. At the same time, it ain’t nothing to do with basketball. I’m just out there trying to play basketball. He’s out there swinging. I think we saw that often. I hope whatever he’s got in his life, it gets better.”
The NBA will likely stipulate that Green has to get help, whether it’s speaking to a counselor or completing an anger management course. The league has also put themselves in a safe situation by not putting a timeline on the Green suspension, allowing them to let him play based on his actions. If Draymond doesn’t play ball with everything the league asks him to do, he’ll further endanger the struggling Warriors this season.
As for a baseline of how many games Green will miss, it’s entirely possible we won’t see him for the next month or so. I don’t reckon the league will clear him quickly enough to have him available again in 2023. Many people wanted a 10-game suspension at minimum, so the league probably won’t bring him back before that is over to avoid scrutiny.
More than anything, Green’s well-being should be everyone’s priority. He’s one of the best defensive players of this generation and he needs to be on the floor with Stephen Curry to help the Warriors be a competitive squad in the West.
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