When a successful and championship-winning franchise starts to lose more often and is simultaneously flooded with negative optics, it is reasonable to predict the end of that once proud empire. Many fans already attempted to do this with the Golden State Warriors after Draymond Green hit Jordan Poole, but the team avoided disaster.

The organization parted with Poole and brought in future Hall of Famer Chris Paul to help bind everything together. A tough slump, along with another Green incident, has caused public skepticism to re-emerge at a rapid rate.

The Warriors' igniter is set to return Tuesday night versus the Sacramento Kings after being suspended five games “for escalating an on-curt altercation and forcibly grabbing Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert around the neck in an unsportsmanlike and dangerous manner.” The feeling within the organization regarding the matter does not appear to be one of harmonious jubilation.

How the Warriors reportedly view the Draymond Green suspension

Warriors' Draymond Green is often valued for his high motor and fearless mentality

“A team source told ESPN that Green's most recent suspension probably won't derail this season, but it came at an inopportune time amid a three-game losing streak and with [Steph] Curry out of the lineup,” ESPN's Kendra Andrews reported. “A league source told ESPN that the Warriors will back Green no matter what he does, while another team source told ESPN the Warriors lost leverage on disciplining him after failing to hold him accountable for punching Poole.”

Whenever misfortune seems to plague Golden State, things inevitably circle back to the Draymond Green-Jordan Poole preseason encounter of 2021. The Warriors must figure out how to operate accordingly and fully move on from that fiasco.

They started off scorching hot but proceeded to falter leading up to the suspension. The team went 2-3 in Green's absence (also narrowly lost the game from which he was ejected) and are 8-9 overall. With the veteran forward returning to action in the Golden 1 Center against the Kings, fans will expect the Dubs to regain their footing in the Western Conference.

If more losing and controversy continues, however, then the NBA world may finally give up on this modern-day dynasty.