Draymond Green has played an invaluable role in the Warriors’ historically successful run over the past decade. His importance as a player and a locker-room leader is the sole reason why the franchise hasn’t gotten rid of him despite his history of indiscretions on and off the court. Steve Kerr has had to deal with them all and usually moved past them. However, one incident left him raging more than any other.
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During an appearance on Dan Le Batard Show, the host asked the four-time title-winning head coach which among Green’s long list of gaffes irked him the most. Without hesitation, he responded,
“For sure, the Jordan Poole incident… He crossed the line with Jordan and he knows it. He knew it immediately, and it made that season incredibly difficult for everybody.”
What is the angriest that Steve Kerr has been at Draymond Green?
“For sure, the Jordan Poole incident… He crossed the line with Jordan and he knows it. He knew it immediately, and it made that season incredibly difficult for everybody.”
Watch: https://t.co/LPWlGKKjhz pic.twitter.com/f1ZGRQqXGB
— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) September 17, 2024
During a team practice in October 2022, Green and teammate Jordan Poole got into an argument during a scrimmage game. Tempers flared and the veteran forward punched the guard. The Warriors tried to downplay the incident but TMZ obtained footage of the altercation and it instantly went viral on social media.
Since it was an in-house issue, the NBA did not discipline Green. The Warriors also did not suspend him but hit him with a hefty fine. The Warriors thought the matter was resolved, but as Kerr admitted, it severely affected their title defense.
Repercussions of Draymond’s Punch on Poole
The Warriors’ chemistry looked off from the time the season commenced. Their performances were flat, the morale was seemingly deflated and, despite the duo’s best attempts to hide it, the tension between Green and Poole was palpable. They finished the regular season with 44 wins, nine fewer than the previous campaign.
They got past the Kings in the first round in seven games but were beaten by the Lakers in six in the second round. In the offseason, Poole, who played a critical role in the Warriors title-winning run in 2022, was traded to the Wizards for Chris Paul only a season after signing a four-year, $140 million contract extension.
Neither party benefitted from the trade. the guard averaged fewer points and shot worse than his final season in the Bay Area. The Warriors missed the playoffs after losing in the play-in tournament against the Kings.
It’s hard to pin the blame solely on that incident, but it was the start of a steep downward trajectory for the Warriors.
