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What up, folks? It’s Sykes, back again, with another edition of Layup Lines. We’re talking about the Draymond Green-Jordan Poole story here, too. Buckle in.
For those of you who don’t know, video has released of Green punching Poole during Warriors’ practice earlier this week.
Everyone was stunned by it. The visual impact of it adds another level to the situation, but it’s probably being made into a bigger deal than it actually is. At least on its own.
This is part of the deal with Draymond Green. He’s a habitual line-stepper who almost always pushes things too far. But, somehow, he also always manages to keep them from going over the ledge.
We see it every year with loads of technical fouls he accumulates or the different spats he gets into with officials. He’s even gotten into visceral shouting matches with his head coach before.
We’ve also seen him cross the line before like when he got a tech in the 2016 NBA Finals that probably cost the Warriors the series against LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers. Or even this year when he got into it with Jaylen Brown during the Finals.
But to punch a teammate? In the way he did it? That’s way over the line, off the edge and at the bottom of the hill. It’s way too far. But, again, this is Draymond Green.
The Warriors will punish him. Maybe it’ll remain a fine or maybe they’ll actually suspend him for some meaningful games. Despite seeing the visual, we still don’t know the particulars of this situation and what preceded it so it’s hard to know exactly what should be done.
But there’s no punishment that’s going to stop Draymond Green from being this version of Draymond Green. That’s who he is and who he always has been.
The only way to stop it is to move him off the team. And, well, the Warriors just aren’t going to do that.
The Tip-Off
Some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.
Speaking of Draymond Green, everyone is wondering why the Warriors aren’t suspending him. The video changes things and gives us a bit more context, but my colleague Prince Grimes doesn’t think they should give a more severe punishment just because we saw what happened.
“The video is new to us, but it isn’t new to the team. The people who needed to know what happened likely went straight to the video before any kind of discipline was even discussed (and they probably aren’t happy the video got out). But if they did their due diligence in talking to everyone involved, which I’m assuming they did, then they settled on a punishment that all parties were agreeable to.
If that’s not the case, and this causes some dissension in the locker room, then sure, do what needs to be done.
But if Poole was able to put this behind him without any kind of suspension for Green, then why should anyone else care?”
Hard agree.
Shootaround
—LeBron James said he’d dunk on his own mom if she played for the Clippers. Yes, you read that right.
— Andre Iguodala left us with bread crumbs so we had no choice but to pick them up.
— Everyone is comparing Bobby Portis’ situation to Draymond’s, but they’re two totally different things.
— LeBron James wants to own a team in Las Vegas. That would be pretty cool.
Enjoy the weekend.
