Do the Golden State Warriors have a Draymond Green problem? That’s what longtime former NBA center Kendrick Perkins, a starter on the 2008 title-winning Boston Celtics and now an indispensable ESPN personality, believes after Green’s latest on-court issue.
Green got into a war of words with game official Ray Acosta about an early technical foul call against him just a hair under four minutes into the team’s eventual 101-93 victory over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night. It was their second game — and their second win — in a back-to-back set.
Their chat got heated. Green was quickly assessed his second tech and ejected.
Green’s on-court conflicts with opponents and referees this season have at times overshadowed his continued ability as a player. The 38-34 Warriors, barely clinging to a play-in spot with the West’s tenth seed, need him out there.
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Perkins took to First Take recently about this latest incident. He spoke with hosts Jay Williams and Molly Qerim about why he believes Golden State needs to move on from Draymond Green.
“Let me ask y’all a question,” Perkins posited. “If y’all was to hire a chef, and every single time… you tell him that, ‘I need a pot of white rice’ to go with whatever dish you’re trying to make, and every time you go and open the lid, you take off the lid, it [turns] out to be grits, okay it can happen the first time, it can happen the second time, but after the third time, what are you gonna do Molly? What are you gonna do J Will?”
“I’m probably gonna fire them and get a new chef,” Qerim responded.
“My point exactly. And why I say that is because it’s time for the Warriors to part ways with Draymond Green,” Perkins said.
Green, 34, is in the first year of a new four-year, $100 million contract extension he inked with the team prior to the 2022-23 season. He has a $27.7 million player option for 2026-27, when he’ll turn 37. When he’s available, he’s still worth his salary, thanks to his tenacious defense, passing acumen, and locker-room leadership. So really, what Perkins is pitching is a trade this summer.
“[Team president] Mike Dunleavy [Jr.], [majority owner] Joe Lacob, [head coach] Steve Kerr, Steph Curry, they’re gonna have to have that tough conversation in the offseason, because once a person shows you who they are, you have to believe them,” Perkins said. “And like we say about a lot of old people, they’re stuck in their ways. Well, Draymond Green is a veteran, and he’s stuck in his ways. When you look at the Jordan Poole incident, we saw what happened with that. Steph Curry and Steve Kerr, they had Draymond Green’s back.”
Green and former championship-winning teammate Jordan Poole got into a dispute in a closed practice. Eventually, video footage was leaked of Green punching Poole in the face. Green missed some preseason games but was back with the team in time for the start of the 2022-23 regular season. Lacob, incidentally, owned a stake in Perkins’ Celtics team that won it all in ’08.
“Okay let’s take it to this year, what he did with Nurkic, the suspension. Steph Curry had his back. Steve Kerr had his back. Draymond Green talked about him and Steve Kerr crying, sharing the moment.”
Green had already served a five-game suspension after a choking incident with Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert when he slapped Phoenix Suns center in the face during a December bout. He was suspended indefinitely by the NBA, and eventually was permitted to return to Golden State after 12 games.
“Okay all of a sudden you get here, on a back-to-back, on a night in a must-win situation with no Jonathan Kuminga, and Draymond Green gets ejected. Then we watch Steph Curry, the emotions, right? Look how emotional he was. He’s exhausted. The fanbase of Golden State is exhausted. Steve Kerr, he’s exhausted. And rightfully so. Draymond Green is not going to change. Do you want it to be [at the expense] of your franchise, Mr. Golden State, the Bay Area himself in Steph Curry? Absolutely not. And it’s going to be a tough conversation, a hard conversation, but it’s time for the Golden State Warriors to cut ties when it comes down to Draymond Green.”
Green has been a solid two-way piece when he has played this year. The eight-time All-Defensive Teamer is averaging 8.6 points on .483/.384/.754 shooting splits, 7.2 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 0.9 blocks and 0.8 steals a night.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.