This NBA season, the seven-time champions and dynast team, the Golden State Warriors, are struggling to stay competitive. The team currently sits 11th on the Western Conference points table with an abysmal 15-17 record. Despite having a strong core around superstar Steph Curry, the team is falling short of victories by unacceptable margins.
Having said that, one of the many reasons for the Warriors’ debacle this season is the absence of veteran Draymond Green. The center forward has struggled to stay out of trouble this season. Meanwhile, Green’s never-ending woes have forced fans to speculate if trading Jordan Poole last season after a scuffle with Green was a smart move. Not only that but Steph Curry has now been accused of protecting Green for selfish reasons.
Did Steph Curry Protect Draymond Green From Getting Traded Last Season?
The Golden State Warriors grabbed headlines last season for all the wrong reasons. A physical scuffle broke out between teammates Jordan Poole and Draymond Green as the latter punched the former during a practice session. The incident remained under wraps until TMZ leaked the video of the punch. Subsequently, Green apologized and took a step back from the team. However, the scuffle heavily impacted the team’s environment as the Warriors struggled to stay competitive. Not only that, despite signing a four-year extension contract, the Dubs traded Poole to the Washington Wizards later in the season as he couldn’t share a locker room with Green.
However, with Green struggling this season to abide by the laws, many believe that perhaps Draymond Green should have been traded instead of Jordan Poole. It’s because Poole remained the team’s significant offensive contributor during his stint. However, former Warriors star Jamal Crawford accused Steph Curry of dumping Poole for Green. He believes that it was clear that Poole and Green wouldn’t share the locker room after the incident went public. Moreover, Jamal claims that the choice was made by none other than Steph Curry himself. “At the end of the day, Steph needs Jordan, but he really needs Draymond,” said Crawford. He feels that Curry needs Green to elevate his production and thus chooses to sacrifice Poole. And as far as the Warriors are concerned, they want the best of Steph to be on the court. If that takes Draymond’s retention, the Dubs were ready to take the plunge.
Draymond Green Slapped With Indefinite Suspension!
To make matters worse for Steph Curry, Draymond Green landed himself in trouble when he chose to strike Suns’ Jusuf Nurkic during a game between the Warriors and the Suns. Earlier, Green had received a warning after he choked a Mavericks player during a heated scuffle. However, the Jusuf Nurkic incident forced an ejection, after which the NBA termed him a repeat offender.
Subsequently, NBA authorities handed an indefinite suspension to Draymond Green, which is still continuing. To further add to the misery, ever since Green’s suspension, Steph Curry has lost himself. He is not living up to his standards when it comes to offensive production. Moreover, with Green’s return under the scanner, Curry’s woes are unlikely to end anytime soon.