Shaquille O'Neal rallies behind Draymond Green, claiming he was ‘trying to spin around’, refuses to give him indefinite suspension
Draymond Green made headlines once again after hitting Jusuf Nurkic in the face on Tuesday in the Golden State Warriors-Phoenix Suns game. The NBA suspended the four-time champion indefinitely and made it clear that the veteran forward will need to meet certain criteria to return to the floor.
NBA legend and Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal, though, made an interesting observation. O'Neal said that Green had no intention to hit Nurkic and that he would suspend him for just a couple of games if he were the league commissioner.
"I don't think Draymond said, 'Hey, I'm going to punch this guy just 'cause he's pulling my jersey'. He was just trying to spin around.
"He is an honest player, and what happened was unfortunate. I would give him two games (suspension)," Shaquille O'Neal told Babcock and Charles on "TMZ Live".
Steve Kerr, Stephen Curry say Warriors have sights set on helping Draymond Green overcome issues
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr and superstar guard Stephen Curry also talked about Draymond Green's suspension. They said that the franchise is willing to do whatever it takes to help the veteran forward overcome his issues.
In the last couple of seasons, Green has been involved in a few physical altercations, and the Warriors want to help him get back on track.
"The conversations we had yesterday were about him and making sure the focus is getting right and getting on a path that's going to allow him to be who he needs to be as a person, a man, a father, a husband and basketball player, in that order," Warriors megastar Stephen Curry said, via ESPN.
"The one who choked Rudy (Gobert), the one who took a wild flail at Jusuf, the one who punched Jordan (Poole) last year -- that's the guy who needs to change. This is not just about an outburst on the court. It's about his life. It's about someone who I believe in, someone I have known for decades, who I love for his loyalty," coach Kerr said, via ESPN.
Being suspended indefinitely, it's unclear when Draymond Green will return to the Warriors, as the franchise continues to struggle on both ends. Golden State is dealing with chemistry issues, and frustration continues to mount after just 10 wins in the opening 24 games.
The Warriors will look to get back on track and snap a three-game losing skid when they host the Brooklyn Nets (13-11) on Saturday.