Draymond Green Returns to the Court After Serving 12-Game Suspension
Draymond Green, the talented forward for the Golden State Warriors, returns to the court after a 12-game suspension, as officially declared by the NBA
Following a 12-game suspension, Draymond Green, forward for the Golden State Warriors, has been reinstated by the National Basketball Association, as announced on Saturday. Green was ejected from a game against the Phoenix Suns on December 12 after striking center Jusuf NurkiÄ in the face with his right arm, resulting in a 119-116 defeat for the Warriors.
During the incident, Green claimed that the hit on the Suns big man was unintentional, later stating, "I'm not one to apologize for things I do intentionally, but I am sorry to Jusuf because I didn't mean to hit him. I was simply trying to draw a foul as he was grabbing and pulling me, causing me to spin away and accidentally strike him."
Nevertheless, the NBA decided to indefinitely suspend Green starting on December 14, citing his repeated history of unsportsmanlike behavior.
The 33-year-old received his second suspension of the season, in addition to sitting out five games for putting Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in a headlock during an altercation in November.
Green was handed the indefinite suspension for striking Phoenix Suns center Jusuf NurkiÄ (on the ground) in the face after flailing his arms.
Mark J. Rebilas/USA Today Sports/Reuters
Green's latest suspension requires him to fulfill specific requirements from the league and team before he can resume playing. He has already met with a counselor, as well as league, Warriors, and Players Association representatives, and will continue to do so during the season.
Green is not expected to come back to the court right away as he works on getting back into game shape, but the fact that his suspension has been lifted is a positive development for the Warriors. The team faced a setback when Chris Paul, a 12-time All-Star guard, fractured his left hand during a close victory against the Detroit Pistons on Friday.
Paul will be undergoing surgery this week, so his absence from the team will be significant. The return of a starter in Green will provide some relief for head coach Steve Kerr as he looks to lift the team out of their slump and bring their season record back above .500. The Warriors (17-18) are scheduled to play against the Toronto Raptors (14-21) at home on Sunday.
