Courtesy of Shayna Rubin, Bay Area News Group
Draymond Green was reinstated from his indefinite suspension after missing 12 games, the NBA announced on Saturday.
The Warriors expect him to rejoin the team on Sunday, but he is unlikely to play against the Toronto Raptors or the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday as he has not been participating in team practices or been around for team activities since the suspension came down on Dec. 14. Green is expected to need a few days to ramp up after nearly a month out.
“Green completed steps that demonstrated his commitment to conforming his conduct to standards expected of NBA players,” the NBA’s statement read. “He has engaged in meetings with a counselor and has met jointly on multiple occasions on representatives with representatives of the NBA, the Warriors and the National Basketball Players Association.”
The league suspended Green for striking Jusuf Nurkic in the face during the Warriors’ game against the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 12. Green previously served a five-game suspension for putting Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in a chokehold during a scuffle in November.
After an incident with Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis in last year’s playoffs, the NBA deemed Green a repeat offender and determined he’d get harsher punishment for any outbursts to follow.
Green’s teammates and coaches said he needed space from the team to sort through personal matters that were translating to his on-court behavior.
“To me, this is about more than basketball,” coach Steve Kerr said after the suspension was handed down. “It’s about helping Draymond. I think it’s an opportunity for Draymond to step away and to make a change in his approach and his life.”
