Draymond Green isn’t one to hold back when it comes to on-court drama, and the recent dust-up between Charlotte’s Moussa Diabate and Detroit’s Jalen Duren gave him plenty to chew on. On the latest episode of The Draymond Green Show, the Warriors veteran broke down the altercation with his usual unfiltered analysis-this time questioning whether Diabate was ever really trying to throw hands.
“He got mushed and then acted like he wanted to go at Jalen Duren,” Green said. “But if he really wanted to get there, he could’ve gotten there.
People were kind of holding him back, but not really. It looked more like he was performing than actually trying to fight.”
The incident in question went down during Monday night’s matchup between the Hornets and Pistons-a game that turned heated after a physical exchange near the baseline. After Duren shoved Diabate in the face, the Hornets forward responded aggressively. From the broadcast angle, Diabate appeared to throw at least one punch and attempted another before teammates and staff intervened.
The situation escalated quickly. Charlotte forward Miles Bridges jumped in and landed a shot on Duren, while Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart left the bench and confronted Bridges, further fueling the melee. That move-leaving the bench area-earned Stewart the harshest penalty from the league.
The NBA came down with suspensions for all four players involved: Diabate and Bridges each got four games, Duren was hit with a two-game suspension, and Stewart received a seven-game ban for escalating the situation.
Green, who played his college ball at Michigan State, also noted the regional connection between Diabate, a Michigan alum, and Bridges, a fellow Spartan. He pointed out that Bridges stepping in to defend Diabate might've had more to do with school pride than anything else.
While the altercation and its aftermath have made headlines, Diabate’s play this season has been a bright spot for Charlotte. The 24-year-old big man has carved out a meaningful role, especially when starting.
In the 24 games he’s started, Charlotte has gone 15-9-a solid mark for a team still trying to find its footing in the East. Over 50 appearances, Diabate is averaging career highs across the board: 8.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.0 block per game, while shooting a highly efficient 63.2% from the field in just over 25 minutes per night.
The Hornets, now sitting at 25-29 and holding the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference, are looking to bounce back after a nine-game winning streak came to an end. They’ll face the Atlanta Hawks (26-29) on Wednesday in what could be a key game in the play-in race before the league pauses for All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles.
As for Green’s take-it’s classic Draymond: part psychological breakdown, part locker-room truth serum. Whether you agree with his assessment or not, his perspective adds another wrinkle to an already volatile moment. For Charlotte, the focus now shifts back to basketball, and how quickly they can move past the fallout and keep pace in a crowded East.