“Yeah, I expect to play, now will I play? That’s a totally different story” – Draymond Green is willing to play on opening night for the Warriors, says it’s uncertain now and depends on team decision
Draymond Green's participation on opening night is in question following his altercation with Jordan Poole. Although Green hopes to play, he said the decision is out of his hands.
Earlier in the week, there were rumors that Green punched Poole during training, but not many knew the severity of the report. A video of the fight was leaked a few days ago, and it looked terrible.
TMZ obtained the video of the altercation between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole at practice
tmz.com/videos/2022-10… https://t.co/k02BGsBo8G
The Golden State Warriors have said that they will handle the matter internally, and a worthy sentence will be passed. Head coach Steve Kerr earlier said he expects Green to show up for the preseason game against the LA Lakers on Sunday, but that is unlikely.
For the first time since the incident, Green held an interview and spoke on the matter. Although he had the opportunity to talk about it on his podcast, he did not want to address it that way.
During the presser, Green was asked if he would be available for their opening game after the championship ring presentation. He said although he would love to play, he cannot make the call.
"Yeah, I expect to play. Now, will I play? That's a totally different story. That's something that we will continue to figure out as we move forward and just feel through what's right.
After discussing how there is no right or wrong decision, he continued:
"Do I expect to play? I hope to play. It's the first real day as far as games go and things counting, that matters on our mission to go and repeat. So, yeah, I hope to. And yes, I do expect to.
"But in saying that, that's not something that's been decided. That's not something that's certain. That's something we will continue to work through over the days to come and just try to feel out what's best for our team because ultimately that's what matters the most."
Draymond would like to play in season opener Oct. 18 but said the decision hasn’t been made yet https://t.co/n2emaKdXI2
Green also announced that he will be taking a few days off for the team to start their healing process and work on himself. Kerr said it was a joint decision between Green and the franchise.
The four-time NBA champ has also issued an apology to Poole and the organization. He gave some clarity into the reason for his actions, saying he was going through a tough time.
Can the Golden State Warriors win without Draymond Green?
Getting physical with another player has attracted stiff punishments in the past. Players received suspensions for a certain number of games and were required to pay a fine.
At the time of writing, it is unclear how the Warriors will deal with the situation. However, it is worth noting that there might be an uproar in the NBA community if some sort of punishment is not delivered. There is a chance that Green might miss the opening game against the Lakers.
Starting the season with a win in front of their home fans will set the tone for the Warriors' 2022-23 campaign. Their chances of winning will undoubtedly be higher with the big man on the floor.