Golden State Warriors Draymond Green has been reinstated by the NBA. The decision comes after he served a 12-game suspension following an incident involving Phoenix Suns veteran Jusuf Nurkić early last month.
Green is eligible to return to the team Sunday when the Warriors play the Toronto Raptors. Adrian Wojnarowski, from ESPN, reported that Green is expected to need a week or so before returning to the court.
Wojnarowski wrote:
“While away from the Warriors since he struck Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic during a Dec. 12 game, Green has been participating in individual counseling sessions and periodic virtual meetings that include team, league, and union officials designed to chart his progress toward reinstatement, sources told ESPN. The Zoom meetings are playing a role in how the NBA, the National Basketball Players Association, and the Warriors have been meant to measure Green’s progress toward working through whatever issues might have contributed to repeated violent episodes with opponents and a former teammate, sources said.”
Green was ejected from the Dec. 12 game against the Suns after hitting Nurkić in the face and receiving a flagrant two-foul.
Green and Nurkić were battling for positioning when the Warriors veteran swung his arm and hit Nurkić in the head. Nurkić fell to the floor in pain, causing officials to review the play and eject Green from the game.
The next day, the league announced an indefinite suspension for Green.
Green was to receive counseling, but also allowed to still practice with the Warriors, the Bleacher Report reported.
Green apologized for the incident saying he didn’t try to hit Nurkić.
“I don’t fall to sell a call, I’m not a flopper,” Green said after the game. “So I was selling the call because he was grabbing me and pulling my hip back. So I swung away and unfortunately, I hit him.”
Green’s return to the team will be impactful as the Warriors currently sit 10th in the Western Conference with a 17-18 record and have gone 7-5 without him on the floor.
The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/dlFtd7okI7
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) January 6, 2024
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