The disappointing end to the season followed by the offseason of landing the coveted free agent in Kevin Durant has been slightly marred by Draymond Green’s off the court antics.
Green’s intensity is what makes him a great player and even a better leader for the Dubs. As talented as Golden State is they have some low-key players and sometimes Draymond’s energy alone can lift them up on the second game of a back-to-back. In that same vein, Green is also the defunct W’s enforcer. Whenever there is a hard foul on Stephen Curry or somebody talking to trash to Klay Thompson — Draymond is the one that steps into the fray. He leads by example on the court and in the locker room.
When you are an undersized power forward, sometimes center, that fire lets him contend with much taller and stronger players. He’s had to battle through college in one of the toughest conferences in men’s basketball and then again being a second round pick in 2012. That ferocity on the court though can sometimes be tough to turn it off.
The incident in East Lansing earlier this week can be seen as an isolated incident between a couple of guys that had too much to drink. You could also make the case that his arrest was just the the culmination of events this season.
The first off the court happenings was a Snapchat video he posted of him going 118 MPH on a freeway a few months back. He had the blowup at Coach Kerr at halftime during the regular season in OKC that was widely reported. There was the episode with Steven Adams in the playoffs against the Thunder that could have warranted a suspension. Draymond had 13 technicals during the regular season, the third highest in the league. Add to that a flagrant foul in the playoffs and five more technicals in the postseason that eventually lead to his suspension in The Finals. With the Cavs on their heels and Game 5 at home, his absence cost the Warriors the title.
No player wants to disappoint his teammates and my guess is Green doesn’t want to lose the respect of Curry and now Durant. I bet he slows down off the court.
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