Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green was suspended indefinitely on Wednesday for hitting Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the head. Speaking to reporters on Thursday prior to the team's game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr explained why that punishment "makes sense."
Here are Kerr's extended thoughts, which lasted over two minutes:
"To me this is about more than basketball, it's about helping Draymond. I think it's an opportunity for Draymond to step away and make a change in his approach, in his life, and that's not an easy thing to do. That's not something you say 'OK, we'll do five games' and then he's gonna be fine. The league did five games after the incident with Rudy [Gobert}. That's not the answer, to pick a number.
"The answer is to help Draymond, give him the help he needs. Give him the opportunity to make a change that will not only help him, help our team, but help him for the rest of his life. This is not just about an outburst on the court. This is about his life. This is about someone who I believe in, someone who I have known for a decade, who I love for his loyalty, his commitment, his passion, his love for his teammates, his friends, his family. Trying to help that guy. The one who grabbed Rudy and choked Rudy, the one who took a wild flail at Jusuf, the one who punched Jordan last year, that's the guy who has to change. He knows that.
"Everything before that, over a decade of play, what are we really talking about? We're talking about getting ejected for yelling at the ref or throwing a ball. But look at the past year and what's happened. He needs the opportunity to change, and that's what an indefinite suspension gives him the opportunity for."
Warriors coach Steve Kerr on Draymond Green’s indefinite suspension pic.twitter.com/6wzV7WrBoQ
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) December 15, 2023
Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy told reporters on Thursday that the team and Green worked with the league on the nature of the suspension, so it wasn't a surprise when the league made the announcement. Green, who must meet certain team and league requirements before being eligible to return, can now take as much time as necessary to make a change, rather than trying to adhere to a specific timeline.
The incident with Nurkic was Green's third ejection and second suspension in 15 games this season, all for physical attacks. On Nov. 11 he was given a second technical and ejected after shoving Donovan Mitchell, and on Nov. 15 he was hit with a Flagrant 2 for putting Rudy Gobert in a chokehold. After the Gobert takedown, Green was suspended for five games.
Despite the organization's frustration with Green's continued behavior, Dunleavy said they are "committed" to the future Hall of Famer and will work with him to change his ways.