Draymond Green Faces Possible Suspension After Third Ejection of the Season

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green is under scrutiny once again, facing the possibility of a suspension after being ejected from a game for the third time this season. The incident occurred during Tuesday’s game against the Phoenix Suns when Green earned a flagrant 2 foul for striking Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the head during the third quarter.

This marks the second potential suspension for Green this season, with the NBA expected to review the incident before the Warriors’ upcoming game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Earlier in the fall, Green was suspended for five games for putting Rudy Gobert in a headlock, with the league citing his “history of unsportsmanlike acts.”

Following the recent ejection, Green expressed regret for the contact with Nurkic, stating, “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.” Despite the apology, the incident has raised concerns, with Nurkic describing it as having “nothing to do with basketball,” and Suns head coach Frank Vogel calling it “reckless and dangerous.”

If Green faces another suspension, it could lead to increased playing time for younger players like Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, as well as veterans Dario Saric and Kevon Looney. The recent absence of Green allowed for different lineup combinations, including rookies Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski, along with established stars Stephen Curry and Chris Paul.

Meanwhile, Warriors’ veteran Klay Thompson acknowledged his subpar performance and did not question head coach Steve Kerr’s decision to bench him down the stretch. Thompson, who has been struggling with his shooting and scoring numbers this season, admitted, “I played like crap. I deserved to be benched. I’ve been playing like crap. Twenty games in, I haven’t found a rhythm.”