Draymond Green last played for the Golden State Warriors on December 12 against the Phoenix Suns, a game that saw him ejected for violently striking Jusuf Nurkic on the side of the head. Since then, Green was given an indefinite suspension by commissioner Adam Silver and the NBA in order to get the necessary help he needs as a result of multiple violent acts on the court over the span of the last year. Of course, this pertains to his chokehold on Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert and stomping on Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis' chest in last year's playoffs.
When the league suspended Green on Dec. 13, it was made clear that this decision was made by the NBA, the Warriors, and Green himself. In order to get the counseling he needed and be in the right mental space before playing again, all three parties decided it would be best for an indefinite suspension to be handed down. While this may look bad, the idea behind the indefinite suspension was to not rush Green, allowing him to get the right help instead of a certain timeframe deciding his future.
The Warriors have gone 6-4 in their 10 games without Green, yet the team is still just 16-17 on the season. A key part of their four championship runs since 2015, the fact of the matter is that the Warriors are going to need Green back if they are to be real contenders in the Western Conference.
When Draymond will return seems to be the biggest unknown right now, one that even head coach Steve Kerr doesn't have an answer to.
Steve Kerr updates Draymond Green's suspension
The Warriors defeated the Orlando Magic 121-115 on Tuesday night, ending their recent three-game losing skid. After the game, Kerr spoke about Green's suspension and absence from the team, providing a little bit of clarity on the defensive star's whereabouts.
“He has not been in the facility, at least with us,” Kerr said when asked about an update on Green, via The Athletic's Anthony Slater. “He may have been coming in on his own. We text, but we've been giving him his space and he's been giving us ours.”
Kerr also said that he was not sure if Green would be able to return to the court right away upon his suspension being lifted.
Even though Kerr did not provide an exact timeframe for Draymond, his response makes it clear that not even the Warriors know how long this suspension will last. Per the terms of his suspension, Green is allowed to be at the Warriors' practice facility and be around the team.
The fact that he has not been with them speaks volumes as to what the future holds for the 33-year-old.
Green's future ahead of trade deadline
Draymond has missed 10 straight games and has not been with the team over the last few weeks. While no official time frame was laid out for Green's potential return, a 10-13 game window was given by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Then, there were reports from The Athletic's Shams Charania suggesting that Green's suspension would last at least three weeks.
Here we are, three weeks and 10 games later, yet there is virtually no real update on Green and his potential return to the Warriors. Kerr was also very brief and very cryptic in his responses on Tuesday night, carefully dodging questions about Draymond.
Do the Warriors even want Green to return at this point?
This past offseason, Green signed a four-year, $100 million contract to remain in Golden State through the 2025-26 season at the very least. He does own a $27.6 million player option for the 2026-27 season.
The Warriors have never had thoughts about tearing down their core group of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Green. Given all of Green's recent ejections, fines, and suspensions, perhaps the Warriors' front office, led by new general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., are having some second thoughts.
There is nothing suggesting that the Warriors are going to be looking to part ways with Draymond, but the NBA trade deadline is in about five weeks. Now is the time for this franchise to evaluate the talent on their roster, especially third-year forward Jonathan Kuminga and former All-Star Andrew Wiggins, who has struggled this season.
How this team performs over the next couple of weeks will directly impact Green's immediate and long-term future with the franchise. The trade deadline is looming and there is still no firm return date for Draymond's suspension. Do what you will with this information.
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