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After a drama-filled week following the Draymond Green-Jordan Poole fiasco, the next question would be how the Golden State Warriors would be able to proceed going forward. The answer appears to be mostly by maintaining status quo.
The Warriors are reportedly shielding Draymond from any suspension following the leaked video of him connecting on a solid strike on Poole last week. Instead, he will have to pay an undisclosed fine and will be back with the rest of the team on Thursday.
The reactions were understandably mixed. A few seemed to feel as though the light punishment was the right call.
He did nothing wrong, we stand with Draymond
— 🥷🏽 (@wordtoja) October 12, 2022
Some called out the very different threshold for workplace violence within professional sports and any other conventional working environment. But of course, contact sports are vastly different from the usual pencil pushing profession in more ways than just the exponentially larger pay.
If this was any profession besides pro sports, he is fired immediately and possibly even arrested. Pro sports and discipline do not coexist.
— Second Take (@SecondTake20) October 12, 2022
Others argued whether Draymond Green got off way too light as compared to if the incident occurred involving other controversial NBA personalities. In truth, every situation is different given that Draymond Green has been a Warriors lifer and 4-time champion. Any lesser player would have likely immediately been sacked.
Dude, you gotta be kidding. Dray gets the worst consequences of them all.
— twiggy (@twiggy_2016) October 12, 2022
Another defense is the same one Steve Kerr hinted at early during the controversy and that's how Michael Jordan and dozens of other NBA stars have done the exact same, just without the video going public.
https://twitter.com/nycjakee/status/1580056108521394181
The most common reactions is that the Warriors truly held back in terms of punishment their longtime defensive ace. The move is likely in an attempt to deescalate the situation and allow Draymond to attend the ring ceremony during the season opener. Suspending Green for a long stretch of games might have been warranted, but assuming Jordan Poole was ready to move on, then such a punishment would have just kept it in the headlines longer and leave the team down their most versatile defender.
lol a slap on the wrist for decking a teammate, what a joke
— Giovanni Gonzalez (@gvanigzalez) October 12, 2022
In theory this is a way forward. Of course everyone is going to say the right thing. Its peer pressure. 23s superpower is living on fhe edge with teammates/refs and the opponent. I am not sure young players will play freely around him on that edge. Timewilltell
— Philly V (@truephilmanchu) October 12, 2022
It remains to be seen how the chemistry of the team feels as the season begins. But it's for certain that the Warriors want nothing more than to put this behind them.
