Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green is set to return on the court soon after missing the last 13 games for the Dubs amid a punching incident with Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic on December 12.
The four-time NBA champion struck the Bosnian big man on the face during the third quarter of that particular game, and he was promptly ejected after being handed out with a flagrant foul penalty 2 by the officials.
In response to his actions, the league has suspended the 33-year-old one day later on December 13, refraining from providing a specific timeline as they aim to have him fulfill certain league and team conditions.
These conditions include undergoing counseling and meeting progress benchmarks before being granted permission to resume playing.
League insider Shams Charania from The Athletic and Stadium revealed on January 6 that the league has decided to reinstate Green, approximately a month following the incident.
All parties involved have expressed satisfaction with Green's development during his suspension period. It's anticipated that he will require roughly a week to prepare and gear up for his return to action, per league insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Green has already returned to the Warriors facility to condition his body into game shape this past week.
Moreover, ongoing discussions among Green and the league are set to continue even after the 2017 NBA Defensive Player of the Year makes his imminent comeback in the coming days.
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Why NBA Got It Wrong After Draymond Green's Reinstatement
1. Other players have gotten worse punishments for less.
Taking into account Green's week-long preparation period for his return, he is projected to have missed approximately 15-16 games and a month's worth of action.
This is despite being the Nurkic incident his second altercation and third ejection of the season. Previously, he had served a five-game suspension earlier in the season for placing center Rudy Gobert in a headlock during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on November 14 at home.
Green was also ejected during a November 11 game against the Cleveland Cavaliers after an altercation with Cavs star Donovan Mitchell.
For reference, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant faced a suspension for the initial 25 games of the 2023-24 NBA season due to two separate incidents where he displayed a gun on Instagram Live.
2. Minimal financial implications.
Green did not receive an official fine for his altercation with Nurkic. However, due to the suspension, Green has forfeited 13 game checks amounting to $153,941 per contest up to this point, totalling about $2 million.
However, that amount is minuscule compared to his $22,321,429 salary for this season, according to HoopsHype.
The four-time NBA All-Star has seemingly gotten away for many of his incidents over the past few years. He was also fined, but not suspended for his punching incident with former teammate Jordan Poole during a preseason practice ahead of the 2022-23 campaign.
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