NBA Suspends Draymond Green Indefinitely for Striking Suns' Jusuf Nurkic
PHOENIX -- The NBA has suspended Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green indefinitely for striking Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic, according to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowksi.
This will be the sixth time Green has been suspended by the league.
2016 NBA Finals - Punched LeBron James in the groin area and assessed a technical, his fourth flagrant foul and causing him to miss a pivotal Game 5. As you recall, that was the year the Cavaliers erased a 3-1 series deficit to win.
2018-19 - Green was suspended one game by Golden State after a very heated argument between him and Kevin Durant. Many believe this was a focal point of Durant's eventual departure from the Warriors.
March 2023 - Green accrued 16 technical fouls and was suspended for one game after his 16th tech saw him toss a ball at Russell Westbrook's head.
April 2023 - In the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, Green stomped on the chest of Domantas Sabonis, causing him to miss Game 3 of the series against the Sacramento Kings.
November 2023 - Green was suspended for five games after he grabbed Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert around the neck.
Also notable is the punch he threw against Jordan Poole during a team practice in 2022, which he was fined for but ultimately wasn't suspended.
More from fellow NBA insider Shams Charania:
"Sources: Golden State's Draymond Green is expected to receive counseling and work with the Warriors and NBA while suspended after striking Phoenix's Jusuf Nurkic in the head on Tuesday night. He has to meet criteria before a return to play."
NBA on TNT's Chris Haynes is reporting Green will be allowed to practice with the team during his suspension.
Green did apologize for the punch afterwards.
“I’m not one to apologize for things I meant to do,” Green told reporters following the game.
"But I do apologize to Jusuf. Even though I didn’t intend to hit him, I sell calls with my arms. I don’t fall to sell a call. I’m not a flopper. I was just selling the call because he was grabbing and pulling my hip. So, I spun away. And, unfortunately, I hit him.
“So, I apologize to Jusuf because I didn’t intend to hit him.”
Nurkic wasn't a fan of Green, or his actions.
"I don't know man. I was behind the play. What's going on [with] him, I don't know. Personally, I feel like that brother need the help. I'm glad he [did] not trying to choke me, but at the same time it had nothing to do with basketball," he said after the game.
"I'm just out there trying to play basketball, they're swinging. ... hopefully whatever he got in his life, it gets better."
