Steve Kerr gets honest about Golden State Warriors' changing lineups and frontcourt 'logjam' as Draymond Green nears return
Draymond Green is back in the NBA after missing nearly a month of being by his team's side. Green was previously suspended by the association for hitting Jusuf Nurkić on the face when the Golden State Warriors faced the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 12. Now he has been reinstated following the12-game suspension.
Draymond Green is expected to make his return to the hardwood come Friday when the Warriors face the Chicago Bulls. That's if he doesn't play on Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans. Having that in mind, coach Steve Kerr recently shared his thoughts on how the lineup would change when Green makes his way back to the rotation.
Some are worried that Draymond's return could affect the chemistry of the current lineup. Particularly, fans are concerned about whether or not Green and Jonathan Kuminga can co-exist considering they play the same role for the team. Steve Kerr reassured the press that both players will likely be on the same page. However, the challenge he sees at the moment is how to balance the lineup.
“I don’t see it as a challenge of those two (Draymond Green/Jonathan Kuminga) being on the court together," Kerr said. "I think they can co-exist well. The challenge means if those two are on the court then you’ve got a lot of other guys who aren’t on the court. What it looks like is a logjam.”
What can we expect in Draymond Green's return?
Draymond Green smacked Jusuf Nurkic in the face during the Golden State Warriors' 119-116 loss to the Phoenix Suns in Dec. 2023. Following his suspension, Green was required to attend counseling sessions.
Throughout his career, Draymond has become one of the contentious personalities in the NBA, getting into altercations with other players on multiple occasions.
Many fans may be wondering what version of Draymond we will see now that he has a scheduled comeback date. If Green continues to behave like he has in the past, Adam Silver could harshly punish him and suspend him for several months rather than a few weeks.
Given the Warriors struggles this season(17-18), Draymond Green's availability throughout the rest of the season could be instrumental in getting their campaign back on track.