When tempers flared during the Golden State Warriors' Tuesday night tilt against the Minnesota Timberwolves, one would think that Draymond Green would get involved in the proceedings one way or another. However, Green, despite not being involved in the main altercation, inexplicably decided to put Rudy Gobert in a chokehold in an “attempt” to act as a peacemaker. Officials then decided to eject the Warriors forward, and justifiably so, but the punishment did not end there, as Green also received a five-game suspension from the league.
A five-game suspension may not seem that punitive, but for an untoward action on the court, a suspension of this length is almost unprecedented. What pushed the league to hand out this kind of suspension was the Warriors forward's history of questionable actions on the hardwood, according to the NBA's statement regarding the punishment they handed towards Green.
“The length of the suspension is based in part on Green's history of unsportsmanlike acts,” the league statement said, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Draymond Green may be the most emotionally-driven player in the NBA today, for better or for worse. But over the past decade or so, Green's temperament has usually landed him in hot water, as his fiery disposition has occasionally manifested itself in some actions that many have deemed to be “unsportsmanlike”.
Green has a long history of high-profile physical altercations on the court that have drawn the ire of the NBA and its fanbase. Most recently, Green was ejected in a recent contest against the Cleveland Cavaliers for shoving Donovan Mitchell.
During the 2023 NBA playoffs, Green was suspended for Game 3 of the Warriors' first-round matchup against the Sacramento Kings after the veteran forward stamped on Domantas Sabonis. And then in 2016, who could forget Green's suspension during the NBA Finals for a flagrant foul on LeBron James as well as his nut shot towards Steven Adams during the Western Conference Finals?
From this point forward, Green will have to be on his best behavior on the hardwood, channeling his emotions in a different manner instead of putting the Warriors in a tougher position by virtue of his suspension-related absences.