“I believe Draymond Green would be suspended for a long time" – NBA analyst credits Warriors' win over Celtics for minimum disciplinary action against Draymond Green, throws shade at Warriors management
The Golden State Warriors find themselves at the center of controversy at the moment. Last week, reports emerged that Draymond Green and Jordan Poole had gotten into a physical altercation at practice.
When the incident was first reported, it didn't seem to be that problematic. But after video footage was leaked to TMZ, everything changed. Upon seeing how viciously Green punched Poole, many felt the All-Star forward crossed the line.
Since this went down, the Warriors announced that Green would step away from the team for the time being. He is expected to make his return in the coming days as Golden State finishes its preseason schedule.
For such a violent act, Green merely got a slap on the wrist. During a recent episode of FS1's "Undisputed," Skip Bayless gave his thoughts as to why. He feels that Golden State let this slide solely because they are a week away from defending its championship.
"I believe if the Golden State Warriors had not prevailed in the finals over the Boston Celtics, I believe Draymond Green would be suspended for a long time right now," Bayless said.
"There'd be nothing to run back. There'd be nothing to love. The euphoria has sort of lasted over the offseason into the new season."
"If the Warriors had not prevailed against the Celtics, I believe Draymond Green would be suspended for a long time because there would be nothing to run back and love. You wrist-slapped him."
— @RealSkipBayless https://t.co/l7y52PJSdk
Is Skip Bayless right about why the Golden State Warriors didn't suspend Draymond Green?
It might seem a bit outrageous, but Skip Bayless could be on to something as to why the Golden State Warriors are sweeping the incident under the rug so fast. With the start of the regular season less than a week away, the team needs to be a good place as it begins its run as reigning champs.
After securing the title last year, the Warriors are not done in their quest to cement themselves as one of the greatest cores ever. That said, if they want to make another deep run, they will need Draymond Green. He might not be a superstar-level player like Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, but he has played a key role in their success over the years.
Part of why Golden State has been able to win like it has is because of its culture. One reason why this came and went so quickly is simply that the Warriors are a tight-knit group who know how to address conflicts. Whatever the case may be, it will be interesting to see how they start the year following this dustup.