Draymond Green Won’t Be Suspended for Punching Jordan Poole

Golden State’s Draymond Green will not be suspended for punching his teammate Jordan Poole last week, even though Coach Steve Kerr described the situation as “the biggest crisis that we’ve ever had.”

Kerr said that Green would be fined an undisclosed amount and that he is expected to play in the season-opener at home against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday. Green has been kept out of practices and preseason games since the incident on Oct. 5, but Kerr said he would be back at practice Thursday. Kerr announced the decision after a preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday.

“This feels right,” he said, adding that criticism of the punishment would be “fair.”

Kerr said “everything was on the table” for punishment, including a suspension, but the team talked to key players, including Poole and Stephen Curry, and decided that the fine would be the best way to move forward.

Green, 32, punched Poole, 23, after they exchanged words during practice last week. Two days later, TMZ published a leaked video of the fight that went viral. Green is shown approaching Poole, coming chest to chest. Poole shoves Green then moves backward, but Green moves toward Poole and punches him. Green said he apologized to Poole and the team, then he apologized publicly during a news conference Saturday.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/12/sports/basketball/draymond-green-suspension.html