Draymond Green Suspended Indefinitely After Latest Incident

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 12: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors reacts after being ... [+] ejected for a flagrant foul during the second half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center on December 12, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Warriors 119-116. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The NBA has suspended Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green indefinitely after his latest incident in which he hit Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkić in the head.

The league said the penalty “takes into account Green’s repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts.” It is Green’s sixth career suspension and second this season.

“Green’s suspension will begin immediately,” the league said in a statement. “He will be required to meet certain league and team conditions before he returns to play.”

Green will be docked $154,000 per game if the suspension is fewer than 20 games, and $203,000 if more than 20, according to ESPN.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday on “Get Up” that Green, his agent Rich Paul and Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. will meet later Thursday “and they’re going to start the conversation with the league about what this is going to look like.”

Green apologized for the flagrant-2 foul he committed Tuesday night during Golden State’s 119-116 win and said he did not mean to hit Nurkic.

“He was pulling my hip and I was swinging away to sell the call, made contact with him,” Green said post-game. “As you know, I’m not one to apologize for things I meant to do, but I do apologize to Jusuf because I didn’t intend to hit him. I sell calls with my arms. I don’t fall to sell a call, I’m not a flopper.”

Kevin Durant, who won two NBA titles as Green’s teammate with the Warriors and is now with the Suns, said of the incident: “That was insane to see, glad Nurk is alright. Never seen that before on a basketball court in an NBA game. I hope Draymond gets the help he needs; it’s been incident after incident. I know Draymond and he hasn’t been that way when I was around him and coming into the league.

“Hopefully he gets the help he needs and gets back on the court and puts all this stuff behind him.”

In November, Green was suspended five games for choking Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In April, Green was suspended for Game 3 of a playoff series with the Sacramento Kings after he stomped on the chest of Kings forward Domantas Sabonis and was ejected.

Green also punched then-teammate Jordan Poole during practice in October 2022 but was not suspended by the league for that incident.

Nurkic said of Green, “Personally, I feel like that brother needs help.”

Asked about Nurkic’s comment, Green replied, “Respect, I still know what my intentions were. But respect. I think we all need help. I don’t think any of us are too perfect, so respect.”

This marks Green’s third season with three ejections, the most by any player in the last 25 seasons.

In June, Green re-signed with Golden State on a four-year, $100-million contract. He is currently averaging 9.7 points, 5.8 assists and 5.5 rebounds.

Forbes, the Warriors lead the league in team valuations at $7.7 billion. They privately funded their $1.4 billion Chase Center near San Francisco Bay.

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