Draymond Green expressing himself is nothing new. It's part of what makes him great. To call him an emotional player would be a gross understatement. He's loud, brash, in-your-face, and not afraid to say what's on his mind. In short, he keeps it real. However, as comedy legend Dave Chappelle taught us on his iconic Chappelle's Show, there are instances where keeping it real goes wrong. Green's well-publicized dust up with fellow All-Star Kevin Durant during - and following - Monday's loss to the Los Angeles Clippers was one of those instances, with much less comedic effect, leading to a one game suspension for last night's 110-103 win against the Atlanta Hawks.
For those of you living under a proverbial rock, with the game tied in the fourth quarter, Green snatched a rebound off a missed shot by Clippers guard Lou Williams, raced down the court, ignoring the pleas of an open Durant, and ended up turning the ball over as time expired.
At first you're thinking, OK, no big deal. He missed him, game's going into overtime and we still have a shot. But as they headed to the bench, Durant chastised Green for the turnover and for not giving him the ball. According to The Athletic's Marcus Thompson II, Green took exception to the manner in which he was confronted by Durant and, in lieu of offering up an apology, asked Durant
"Who the f*ck are you talking to?"
The back and forth continued for several minutes, with Green repeatedly calling Durant the b-word as Klay Thompson sat awkwardly between them like a third wheel on a bad date. Green was eventually walked away from the huddle by DeMarcus Cousins while Durant was managed by veterans Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston. The Warriors ended up falling in overtime 121-116, but in the grand scheme of things, like most November regular season games, that was irrelevant.
What happened in the locker room following the game was the real story. Green didn't back down, and brought up Durant's impending free agency. If you may recall, Durant signed a two-year deal over the summer, with a player option for year 2, and as he has the past two offseasons, he is expected to opt-out. Unlike the past two seasons, however, there is a great deal of speculation that Durant may go elsewhere. For his part, Durant has not done anything to quiet that speculation, which has reportedly not sat well with some within the Warrior locker room. While he's already taken a page out of the LeBron playbook by repeatedly signing 1+1's (one year deal + player option), he could have delved deeper into that playbook by deferring free agency questions to the offseason and eliminating some of the constant chatter. That, however, is not Durant's M.O.
Durant has shown repeatedly that he needs attention and validation. He left Oklahoma City in part because he felt unappreciated for his contributions. A big reason he signed with the Warriors was due to the fact he felt appreciated by their core players showing up in the Hamptons to recruit him. After helping win a ring and capturing Finals MVP in his first year with Golden State, he still couldn't resist going at internet trolls, talking heads, and anyone else that slung criticism his way. Another ring and another Finals MVP didn't quench that thirst any more than the first one did. He may say he doesn't want to get recruited this time around, but that's a bold-faced lie. He thrives on the attention.
Often called the heart and soul of the team, Green is never afraid to say what he, and perhaps others, are thinking. From the outside looking in, it's safe to say this was probably not the best time or place to address the situation. I am a firm believer that things come out when they're supposed to, whether that time ends up being the appropriate time is a matter of happenstance. Saying Durant craves validation and that Green is overly emotional isn't meant to be a shot at either of them. It means they are human and have flaws just like all of us non-millionaires walking the streets. Those "flaws" are also part of the reason why they are where they are.
All the comments and negative tweets helped fuel Durant to two Finals MVPs. The fact that it still may not be enough in his mind is a testament to him constantly striving for more. Green's passion helped get him noticed. He'll never be the biggest, fastest, or most athletic guy on the floor, but you'd be hard pressed to find someone who will play harder.
It remains to be seen how Green's suspension will resonate with the team, and if the reprimand of one of it's homegrown talents is going to be seen as management siding with Durant. This isn't the first, nor the last time Green will unleash his verbal wrath on someone within the organization. Only time will tell though if this will be the last year Durant is around to hear it.
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