Draymond Green didn’t try to soften what happened against the Suns. If anything, he leaned into it.
The Warriors forward was tossed early in the third quarter of Monday’s 116-113 win at Chase Center after a physical sequence with Phoenix center Khaman Maluach escalated fast. Maluach pushed Green to the floor, Green answered by throwing him down, and Dillon Brooks jumped in from there. Two technical fouls later, Green was out.
On his podcast, in remarks shared on X, Green made it clear he saw the moment as more than a simple flare-up.
“As a center in this league, if something like that happened to you, you kinda like lose your powers,” Green said on his podcast, in remarks shared on X.
“Like a guy just gonna try you over and over again.”
That’s the core of Green’s argument: if he doesn’t answer a challenge like that, opponents keep coming. He said a big man has to draw a line or risk losing the edge that makes him effective around the rim.
“You must stand on that type of time as a big man,” Green added. “If you don't get your paint, get ran through, no rim protection cause there's no respect after that.”
Golden State still finished the job without him, getting its fifth straight win behind Stephen Curry’s 34 points.
The ejection also put Green’s disciplinary record back in the spotlight. The four-time NBA champion has piled up technical fouls and ejections over the course of his career, and this latest incident fit squarely into that history.
Even so, the Warriors avoided any further fallout after an update on Green’s possible punishment came out after the game. Green’s message, though, was already plain: for him, protecting his reputation as a physical defender is worth the risk.
In Other News...
Warriors Just Got A Real Kristaps Porzingis Pathway
Kristaps Porzingis has suddenly become a name worth tracking for teams looking to reshape their roster, and the Warriors are right in the middle of that conversation. Reports suggest he may be open to a buyout in the $3-4 million range, which could make it easier for Golden State to line up a trade partner and create a workable path if the front office decides to pursue it.
For the Warriors, the appeal goes beyond just adding a big name to the mix. A deal involving Porzingis could also leave them with a trade exception, giving the team more flexibility in future roster moves. Sources expect something to happen before December 15, so this is one of those situations that could move quickly once the right framework comes together. [Read more 🡒]
Klay Thompson Just Framed His Post-Warriors Chapter Very Differently
Klay Thompsons first night back in Golden State as a member of the Miami Heat came with the kind of mixed bag that has followed him into this new chapter. He scored 11 points in 23 minutes after putting up 30 against the Clippers the night before, and the return to Chase Center offered another reminder of how different his basketball life looks now. More than the box score, though, Thompson made clear that the change of scenery has mattered to him, saying he is happier in Miami and closer to family than he was during his time in Dallas.
For Warriors fans, the broader picture is a little jarring: Thompson is no longer carrying the same spotlight, Andrew Wiggins is working through a reduced role with the Heat, and Tim Hardaway Jr. has seen his minutes shrink in favor of rookie Ryan Conwell. It all adds another layer to a night that was already about nostalgia and transition, with Thompsons post-Warriors path looking less like a farewell tour and more like a reset he seems comfortable embracing. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Rumor Could Reshape Steph Currys Final Title Chase
The Warriors are again being mentioned in the kind of star-hunting conversation that follows them whenever the roster looks a little thin and the championship window feels a little more delicate. With injuries taking a toll on key players, Golden State is said to be viewing itself as a possible landing spot for major names next summer, and that has pushed Nikola Jokic into the center of the speculation.
Jokics situation in Denver is worth watching because extension talks have been delayed, leaving open the possibility of free agency down the line. For the Warriors, the appeal is obvious: a player of that caliber would instantly change the ceiling around Stephen Curry and give the franchise a very different path back into title contention, even as the front office weighs how realistic it is to land a star of that magnitude. [Read more 🡒]