Kendrick Perkins advocates harsh punishment to Draymond Green after obscene act: ”I’m looking at 5-10 games”
ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins wants the NBA to make a statement on Draymond Green’s headlock of Rudy Gobert in their game on Tuesday. He said the Golden State Warriors should be suspended by the league 5 to 10 games for the act.
Speaking on ESPN’s NBA Countdown, Perkins said that for him Green acted with bad intentions when he went to Gobert and put a headlock on the Minnesota Timberwolves big man. It is something he should be stiffly penalized for.
The one-time Boston Celtics champion said:
“Adam Silver has to set an example and make a statement when it comes to Draymond Green. And I’m looking at 5-10 games… If I was Adam Silver, I would have to make that statement and show that no one is bigger than the NBA.”
Further making his case, Perkins said the history of Green for such acts should be considered in this case. He cited, among other things, what happened between the former NBA defensive player of the year and Domantas Sabonis in last year’s playoffs, where Green stepped on the midsection of the Sacramento Kings big man while the latter was down on the floor.
While he believes Green is going to be a Hall-of-Famer someday, Perkins said his antics should stop because a lot of players look up to him as a player.
The scuffle between Draymond Green and Gobert occurred early in the first quarter of their teams’ game in San Francisco on Tuesday. The two got involved after Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels figured in a pushing-and-shoving match midcourt.
Other players tried to separate them, including Gobert, who held Thompson, before Green jumped on him and put him on a headlock and dragged him away. McDaniels, Thompson and Green were all ejected after.
The NBA is still studying possible sanctions on all involved, particularly Draymond Green, and has yet to issue a verdict.
But if the Michigan State product is to be suspended for a while, it will be a big blow to Golden State, who are already missing the services of superstar guard Stephen Curry because of knee injury.
Paul Pierce supports Draymond Green in Rudy Gobert run-in
While Kendrick Perkins took Draymond Green to task for his action against Rudy Gobert, his former teammate Paul Pierce has come out to support the Golden State Warriors forward.
‘The Truth’ took to X to express his support for the former NBA defensive player of the year, underscoring that he was just being himself and playing the game with a lot of passion.
Pierce wrote:
"I respect what Draymond brings to the game; doesn't change fa nobody."
Pierce’s support of Green somehow came as a surprise as he was once on the receiving end of the Warriors All-Star’s trash-talking when he was wrapping up his NBA career.
During the 2016-17 season, while Pierce was playing for the Los Angeles Clippers, Draymond Green infamously dissed him, saying he was no Kobe Bryant.
“Keep chasing that farewell tour! They don’t love you like that. You thought you was Kobe?!” Green said to Pierce.