3:31pm: In the midst of their verbal altercation on Monday, Green challenged Durant about KD’s upcoming free agency, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who tweets that the incident has been a “simmering issue” for the Warriors today.
1:49pm: Warriors team officials were working on Tuesday to deal with the aftermath of an emotional end-of-game confrontation between Draymond Green and teammates, including Kevin Durant, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Marc J. Spears.
As Nick Friedell of ESPN.com detailed late last night, Green and Durant exchanged heated words during Monday’s game against the Clippers after a sequence at the end of regulation — Green grabbed a defensive rebound, dribbled up the floor, and committed a turnover while Durant appeared to be calling for the ball. As a result of the missed opportunity, the game went into overtime, with Golden State eventually losing to L.A.
Green and Durant both appeared visibly agitated on the court, with teammates calming them down before the start of overtime. The two All-Stars left the locker room after the game without speaking to reporters, but Wojnarowski and Spears suggest that some Warriors players “loudly confronted” Green in the locker room for his decision-making on that play.
While no one had to be separated and “no hint of physicality loomed in the setting,” according to Wojnarowski and Spears, some of ESPN’s sources described it as one of the most intense altercations of this Warriors era. A few of Green’s teammates took exception with his choice to keep the ball instead of passing it to Durant during those final moments of regulation, and Green was “forceful” in defending himself, sources tell ESPN.
Anthony Slater of The Athletic suggests (via Twitter) that most of the tension stemmed less from the result of the final play itself and more from Green’s strong defense of it and his unwillingness to acknowledge a possible mistake.
Occasional heated arguments aren’t uncommon in NBA locker rooms and this one is hardly a major red flag for the 11-3 Warriors, who still sit atop the Western Conference. Nonetheless, with Durant eligible for unrestricted free agency at season’s end and rumors already flying about his looming decision, incidents like this one figure to be put under the microscope over the course of the season. For what it’s worth, while Durant and Green didn’t speak to the media after Monday’s game, veteran guard Shaun Livingston downplayed the dispute.
“Just team spirit,” Livingston said, per Friedell. “Team spirit. Guys wanted a different outcome than what happened. Obviously, Dray had the turnover. Guys might have thought they were open or wanted the basketball, didn’t get it. Things happen like that in sports. But it was good to see some fire, some emotion.”
If this was between guys that aren’t all stars it would be a non story
This is true because if the players weren’t all stars they’d likely be dropped or suspended indefinitely like Joakim because they affect the roster due to their talent.
Duh ..
Everything not well in Camelot?
Lol.
They’re 11 and 3.
Even when the Sixers acquired Jimmy, the Warriors title odds didn’t change.
Green’s a strong personality, Durant is as well. Everyone let off some steam last night, but they’ll move on and be ready for their next game.
Lol come on man. Durant is not a strong personality. He moved to the easiest place in the NBA and now regrets the move because he can’t handle the criticism that comes with it. There’s no denying he’s the man on the court, but he’s clearly not the man off of it.
Durant is a soft personality. He evens admits he’s tender with his emotions. He’s a big baby. Seems like some mistrust amongst this team, but that’s just me.
While the Warriors were suspending Draymond, the Warriors publicly came out and defended Kevin. The Warriors can go on without Draymond, they need KD and he knows it. KD is just like Kawhi, Aaron Rodgers too, everyone wants a story, they like to keep things private. They believe in the phjlosophy “you’ll know when I know.”
Something tells me this is a bigger deal to us and not the Warriors, the league or even the players. Sitting his ass down was like a Time Out I give to my kids , I still love them just as much but they need to sit in their room and think about what they did , but when they come back down for dinner all is forgiven and we move on like family …
As for Durant’s FA plans , I think regardless of what had happened and will happen he’s gone after this year .. she’s gonna wanna try and do what LABron does which is to bring championship hopes to pathetic situations that have some of the right ingredients but need a chef , Durant is going to NY in 2019 !
Trade both and move on……
Well all the spurs did was downplay the drama in the locker room between Kawhi and TP, but everyone now knows it was about as bad as you can get. I’m not saying anyone is getting traded, but you can’t downplay it all together.
A blow up between two guys over a last second possession screw up is quite different from a whole team questioning the heart and commitment of a guy who is not playing.
Non story lol when you are around anyone long enough you fight. Lol i still think he will opt out but this has nothing to do with that.
Trade KD now. He is a lock to go to knicks in July as is. Knicks give you 2019 1st and right to swap 2020 first.
Dubs will get something for him, no Knox or frank tho, they would do it in a heart beat
Says the LeBron fan.
Dionis versus his fan account! What the NBATR fans have been waiting for
LOL
Can’t trade 2 1st rounds in consecutive years
THJ ignores open teammates on half his touches. Is that wrong?
Durant can’t be traded without his consent.
Draymmond Green wants a bigger role period. He’s not staying with the Warriors, he’s probably tired of just doing the dirty work and wants to take games into his own hands.
Draymond likes doing the dirty work. He knows he is not a shooter or scorer. He’s a great defender, rebounder, and passer and he likes doing those things. If a team expected or allowed him to be a primary ball handler and scorer that team would be a non-playoff team.
First time officially I’ve agreed with Dionis. I truly think Green wants a bigger role and isn’t happy about being the potential 5th option when Boogie finally steps on the floor
I think the Warriors are at a point they could start to think about life without Green.
If they traded Green, and kept KD AND Cousins, they could have the 3 man ‘by committee’ the way they have the 5 in recent years.
McKinney is a player, plain and simple. Fearless, can shoot, great on the boards. He could take that spot.
KD, Klay and Steph can all handle it, they don’t need Green in that point forward role as much as they did.
Adding someone like James Johnson for small-ball 5, or point forward of the bench would be a viable option.
I don’t underestimate his defensive importance, but I think KD and Klay with Cousins would be D enough, and Green’s ‘personality’ is starting to wear thin.
I also think a trade to another team would show his limitations in stark relief, in that anyone playing with Steph, Klay and KD looks good.
Klay’s sign-here-line is up before Draymond’s. That’s what it may come to.
Also. While I think Draymond does more and is harder to replace, him instead of Klay changes the personality of the team– the thing that KD perhaps likes most about the Warriors.
When David West said things in the GSW lockerroom were tenser than people think, he was probably referring to Green. Kerr has no problem with Green, but other players? Not necessarily personally, but with keeping the “splash” element #1 that tough guys add to. Green must be tired of that, being an add-on… his seniority is nearly equal.
Kerr played with MJ, the hardest player to ever be teammates with.
Not to mention Dennis Rodman! Green would be a walk in the park compared to those two, especially on the same team
MJ hard to play with? Coach K spoke on how humble MJ was during the Olympics. MJ never made himself bigger than the team like LeBron does, he might have had run ins with Steve Kerr but Michael Jordan was always humble that’s what happens when you have your father in your life. If MJ lost he didn’t point fingers at anyone, stop the disrespect please.
People can say whatever they want. M.J. won 6 titles in 6 tries. That will never be duplicated. These jealous fans want the Warriors to be split up because they’ll be compared to M.J.’s Bulls and Russell’s Celtics. The Warriors don’t have to worry about money. They showed today the Warriors will own Chase Arena and the property around it. They will build high rises to rent for hotels, businesses, and restaurants. They said the money goes to the owner, not the players, but will be brought up in the next bargaining agreement. They said Atlanta and Orlando plan to build arenas, and do the same. Go Warriiors!!!!!!! lmao.
P.S. West said later in the summer he was kidding. Gotta stay on top of things!
Forgot. M.J. won 10 scoring titles. That will never again be duplicated either.
Wrong. Someone anonymous said West was kidding. West did not walk it back,
and Green pretty much confirmed its truth the same day. And the same strikeplane continues… Green & KD are opposites.
You need to link to the story that makes your point, because you are not reliable enough to believe.
link to chatsports.com
You may be right “for once.” Kerr yesterday said these things happen. He is one of the top 3 coaches in the NBA. He won titles as a player with M.J. and as a coach with the Warriors. He knows how to handle them. “Most sports we read are speculation.” I like to believe writers when they get it from the source. Your problem is you hate writers and front office people and think your s–t doesn’t stink. I’ll continue to follow the newspapers, websites, and watch programs like I always have. For fair weather fans, it’s people who only follow favorites each year. I am from Indiana so I follow teams that have Indiana connections. For the Warriors I love them because I do like Steph, Klay, Kevin and their parents, but mostly because they beat LeBron in 3 out of the last 4 championships.
For more on Chase Arena: Go to ESPN, “The NBA’s next big cash grab.” “Taking over your downtown.” lmao.
MJ won 6 titles in 15 tries. Not making the finals isn’t more successful than making them and losing.
MJs career would have been even more successful if he made more finals even if he lost some (not saying he’s not greatness.)
Michael Jordan always humble!! Right. And he never embarrassed teammates in practice.
Jordan does not need lies to make his case for g.o.a.t.
Good to see someone gets it. Unlike this fake, rose colored glasses, Draymond Green type bully called “Dionis”
Steph should just call a players only meeting and squash this bs.
The Oakland A’s used to fight nightly. The won every fall. Non story
Trade KD to Philadelphia for Markelle Fultz on 4 2nd round picks.
Love,
Sixers Fan
Donkey doing his best JR impersonation….. CLASSIC!
“Green challenging KD about his upcoming FA” yeah, KD will take the high road now
I like it. This could be a wake-up call for the entire team. Don’t relax at all, no matter who it may be. This won’t be the last time something like this happens. It happens to the best. In the end, the real pros will talk it over, hug and makeup and split a drumstick together.
Draymond was kicking basketballs into the stands at Michigan State. Izzo told them to stop, it was taking too long to get the basketballs. Steph, KD, and Klay are very close. The Warriors have won 8 of the last 9 games, and the last 2 championships because of them. They’ll win more. The construction crew took KD around his new home, Chase Arena, last week. I followed all his games at the University of Texas. Still do. I followed Steph’s dad when he played in the NBA. I watched his wife on the Food Network. I love his daughter Riley. I was a fan of Klay’s dad, Mychal, when he played basketball with MLB Hall of Famer Dave Winfield at the University of Minnesota. I want to see them win at least 6 championships.
I’m glad you want one of your favorite teams to win. I want the Sacramento Kings to win at least 467 championships.
Loving it!!! Don’t we all love some drama at the court of the reigning kings! Long may continue (for our entertainment)! LOL
They won 3 of the last 4 championships and will win again this year, Who cares? “Everyone” knows Draymond has been like this forever. He grew up in downtown Detroit. This isn’t his first rodeo, and it won’t be his last.