The NBA announced Wednesday that it has suspended Draymond Green indefinitely for striking Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkić in the face, saying the Warriors forward's "repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts" factored into the decision.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski cited sources in first reporting the news, minutes before the official NBA announcement.
Green's suspension will begin immediately, per the NBA, and he must meet certain league and team conditions before he returns to play.
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Green; his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, and Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. are expected to meet Thursday to help find an appropriate course of action, including counseling and assistance, Wojnarowski reported, citing sources. The NBA decided on the indefinite suspension because it wants to give Green the time he needs, per Wojnarowski.
TNT and Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes also reported, via sources, that Green will be allowed to continue practicing with the Warriors while he serves his suspension.
Green was ejected Tuesday night at the 8:23 mark of the third quarter in the Warriors’ 119-116 loss to the Phoenix Suns. Trying to get into position with Nurkić draped around him, Green spun, flailed his right arm and smacked the big man across the face.
Upon further review, Green received a Flagrant 2 foul, sending him to the locker room for the remainder of the game.
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The Warriors veteran didn’t argue the call and jogged back to the visiting locker room. Green even agreed after the game while speaking to reporters that his actions deserved a Flagrant 2 foul by how the rule is written. But he also repeatedly stated that he didn’t mean to make contact with Nurkić's face, apologizing to the Suns center.
“He was pulling my hip and I was swinging away to sell the call,” Green said. “Made contact with him. As you know, I’m not one to apologize for things I meant to do. But I do apologize to Jusuf. Because I didn’t intend to hit him. I sell calls with my arms. I don’t fall to sell the call. I’m not a flopper. So I was just selling a call. I spun away. Unfortunately, I hit him.”
Whether Green did it intentionally or not, the NBA clearly has had enough of his antics. The NBA's decision marks the fourth time Green has been suspended in the calendar year.
Each of Green’s three ejections this season have been from a physical act. The timeline started Nov. 11, when he was caught shoving Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell. It continued two games later with Green putting Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in a chokehold, which drew the Warriors star a five-game suspension, and less than one month later, he hit Nurkić in the head.
Green now has played 15 games this season and been ejected three times. The Warriors have played 23 games, and are 3-8 in contests that Green either has been ejected from or fully missed because of suspension (five), injury (two) or personal reasons (one).
Now the Warriors will be without him for an indefinite amount of time, five months after he signed a four-year, $100 million contract in free agency to stay in the Bay.