Golden State Warriors All-Star Draymond Green is expected to return to the team this week and will not be facing a suspension from the organization following an altercation with teammate Jordan Poole at practice last week.
Green has been in exile from the Warriors over the last few days after getting into a fight with a teammate during a practice session a week ago. During a stop in the action on Tuesday, a recently released video shows Poole and Green exchanging words. The back-and-forth chatter eventually led to a face-to-face confrontation between the two.
Related: WATCH – Draymond Green and Jordan Poole fight footage from Golden State Warriors practice
That close encounter quickly escalated and saw Poole shove his teammate, and Green responded with a punch to the 23-year-old’s face that forced him to stagger backward and to the ground. The incident put a massive negative spotlight on the team as they get ready to defend their NBA championship with the start of the 2022-2023 NBA season closing in.
Golden State Warriors will fine, but not suspend Draymond Green
The basketball world has closely followed the situation to see how the Warriors organization would handle the situation. Since the fight, Green has apologized to Poole and the rest of his teammates and was sent home. Yet, head coach Steve Kerr and general manager Bob Myers have been unclear about what the ramifications of Green’s actions would be. That was answered on Tuesday night following the team’s preseason win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
- Draymond Green stats (2021-2022): 7.5 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 7.0 APG, 1.3 SPG
At the start of his postgame press conference, Kerr revealed that the 32-year-old will be back at practice on Thursday and is expected to suit up in the Warriors’ preseason finale against the Denver Nuggets on Friday night. The four-time All-Star will be fined — the amount was not disclosed — and he will not be suspended.
Kerr clarified that after discussions with Myers, Poole, and other players, this was the decision the group came to after what he called “exhuasting” conversations, following the “biggest crisis” the locker room has had during the Myers and Kerr regime.