Draymond Green, known for his aggressive playing style and fiery demeanor on the court, once again found himself in hot water after a controversial foul during the Golden State Warriors’ win over the Memphis Grizzlies. While Green has notably been on his best behavior this season, his actions in this game drew sharp criticism, particularly from former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins.
Kendrick Perkins and Draymond Green (Image Credit: Getty Images)
Green clashed with Grizzlies rookie Zach Edey during the game, grabbing his ankle after falling to prevent him from advancing. This risky move, viewed as unnecessary, led to severe criticism. Initially called a personal foul, the NBA later upgraded it to a flagrant 1. Perkins, however, continued to push for stricter player accountability.
“I actually think Draymond should be suspended for an extended period of time,” Perkins said on First Take. “We’re talking about a play where he pulled on the opponent’s Achilles while the opponent was going in the opposite direction. And we’re talking about a guy, Zach Edey, who’s 7’2″, 7’3″, probably 300 pounds. This could have been a season-ending injury right here.” The NBA analyst stressed that actions like this have no place in the NBA and argued for a significant suspension.
Stephen A. Smith, another well-known NBA analyst, acknowledged that many people believe Green deserves a suspension, though he disagreed personally. “You have a lot of people in the league that believe Draymond should be suspended,” Smith noted. This debate highlights the NBA’s challenge of balancing fairness and accountability when dealing with a polarizing player like Green.
Draymond Green’s History Of Controversies
Green’s past controversies add to the calls for harsher consequences. Known for his fiery temper and frequent technical fouls, Green has racked up 125 technical fouls in his career, including two in this game alone. His confrontational nature has often crossed the line of acceptable behavior, most notably last season when the league suspended him for 12 games after he fought Suns center Jusuf Nurkic.
While people often praise Green’s passion and competitiveness, critics like Kendrick Perkins argue that he goes too far, crossing the line between passionate play and dangerous actions. “There’s no room, no place in our game for those types of actions,” Perkins stated.
Despite the backlash, the league is unlikely to suspend Green for a lengthy period unless he involves himself in more incidents. For now, the NBA’s decision to upgrade the foul to a flagrant 1 may be the only punishment he receives. However, the situation has reignited discussions about player accountability and the standards the NBA needs to uphold to maintain its integrity.
