“He didn’t hit you, he hit Jordan Poole” – NBA analyst slams Warriors’ players for speaking against Draymond Green, says only Jordan Poole has the right to seek apology from Draymond Green
The altercation between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole has continued to dominate headlines. There has been no indication of what sparked the fight between the two. Poole and Green are entering contract years. Poole is reportedly set to sign an extension. Green's future is uncertain. On First Take, Stephen Smith how other players around the league have handled the situation.
"Here's my problem," Smith said. "I'm not going to say any names, but we got players in the league speaking out against Draymond Green. ... You chirping and running your mouth on social media and stuff like that. You speaking as if Draymond Green punched you instead of Jordan Poole. You ain't Jordan Poole."
Smith shifted his focus to Warriors teammate Kevon Looney, who spoke about the ramifications in a press conference after the altercation. Looney said Green needed to earn the trust of the team again. Stephen A. Smith disagrees.
"I had a problem with Kevon Looney in his press conference talking about 'he has to earn our trust', the hell you mean ours? He hit Jordan Poole, he didn't hit you," Smith said. "Now obviously y'all are all members of the same team. Draymond was wrong, nobody absolving him from this. He was wrong, as far as I'm concerned, he deserves to be suspended."
As the Warriors team looks to go back-to-back in the NBA Finals, the consensus is that the team must figure out how the pair can coexist.
Draymond Green & Jordan Poole's future with the Warriors
The eyes of the NBA community will all be on the Golden State Warriors. With time winding down before the start of the season, it will be interesting to see how the team's chemistry looks.
Poole is coming off a career year. He averaged 18.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. At age 22, the Warriors have one of the league's most promising up-and-coming guards. While he started much of last season, he will likely become a premier sixth man this year.
Green's role in Golden State has always been less evident in the box score. His defense and veteran presence is considered valuable to the team. However, his primary asset is his relationship with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.
As the NBA season rapidly approaches, we want to hear from you. Do you think the Golden State Warriors will be able to block out the noise and go back-to-back? Sound off in the comments below!