The Miami Heat Were Harsher On Dion Waiters Than Golden State On Draymond Green

Warriors star will receive no suspension for punching teammate Jordan Poole

The 2019-20 season was one to forget for former Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters. 

He was suspended the opener after expressing frustration about his role on the team. Later, he had to sit 10 games following an incident where he had a panic attack after taking edible gummies on a team flight. 

That's 11 games compared to zero for Golden State forward Draymond Green, who knocked out teammate Jordan Poole during a practice. A leaked video of the incident has now been seen all over the world. 

Draymond Green knocked the living shit out of Jordan Poole pic.twitter.com/ZMgY0guXDD

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) October 7, 2022

“We feel like this is the best way, after assessing everything, for us to move forward,” Golden State Steve Kerr said. “It’s never easy. No matter what decision you make in a situation like this, it’s not going to be perfect.

If the Heat can suspend Waiters, why no punishment for Green? The league should intervene on this because it sends a bad message to fans and young players. 

I appreciate the thorough process to come up w/ the best outcome for your organization but what message is going out to our young & impressionable athletes competing every day. Will Draymond address this in public & condemn or condone it? What are the consequences in the future? https://t.co/yWLhnHfNwe

— Detlef Schrempf (@Dschrempf) October 12, 2022

Former NBA player Detlef Schrempf was among those who were disappointed with the Warriors' decision. 

"I appreciate the thorough process to come up w/ the best outcome for your organization but what message is going out to our young & impressionable athletes competing every day," he wrote on Twitter. "Will Draymond address this in public & condemn or condone it? What are the consequences in the future?"

The Warriors have been a model organization the past several years and many have found few reasons to dislike them because of their good-guy approach. Green has been the lone blemish with some of his recent antics and the Warriors should have held him more accountable. 

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Shandel Richardson is the Miami Heat writer for Inside The Heat. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA.