Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, front, Draymond Green, left, gets into an altercation with Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, back, during the first half of an in-season NBA tournament basketball game in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023. They were both ejected from the game. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
NEW YORK — The NBA has suspended Golden State’s Draymond Green for five games for grabbing Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert around the neck “in an unsportsmanlike and dangerous manner,” the league said Wednesday night.
Also penalized by the league for their roles in the incident, which happened early in Tuesday’s game between the Timberwolves and Warriors, were Gobert, his Minnesota teammate Jaden McDaniels and Golden State guard Klay Thompson — all fined $25,000 by the league.
But Green will pay the biggest price, both in terms of games missed and money lost. The suspension will cost him $769,704 in forfeited salary.
“The length of the suspension is based in part on Green’s history of unsportsmanlike acts,” the NBA said in the release announcing the penalties. Those sanctions were handed down by Joe Dumars, the NBA’s Executive Vice President and Head of Basketball Operations — and a longtime mentor of Green’s.
The Warriors and Timberwolves got chippy just two minutes into their in-season tournament game 😳
Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels were all ejected. pic.twitter.com/m7UvULewa2
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 15, 2023
The incident started when Thompson and McDaniels “became entangled and were grabbing and pulling at one another’s jerseys,” the NBA said, and got further out of hand when Gobert got involved and put his arms around Thompson.
Green got involved not long after that, wrapping his arm around Gobert’s neck.
Thompson and McDaniels were each assessed a technical foul and ejected, while Green was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 for grabbing Gobert. That category of flagrant comes with an automatic ejection, which was Green’s second in Golden State’s last three games.
Gobert voiced his displeasure with his fine after Wednesday night’s game against the Suns.
“Every situation is different, but to me, that was more than just a reaction. That was a personal attack,” Gobert said. “Me being fined when I was being a peacemaker, and I chose to keep my hands up while I was being assaulted, it’s shameful. Shameful. And I’m going to appeal that fine.”
Green will miss home games Thursday and Saturday against Oklahoma City, another home game Monday against Houston, a road game with Phoenix on Nov. 22 and then a home NBA In-Season Tournament game against San Antonio on Nov. 24.
He would be eligible to return Nov. 28 at Sacramento. The Warriors — who will also be without star guard Stephen Curry for at least Thursday’s game because of a knee issue — have lost four consecutive games and are 6-6 through 12 games this season, just 1-4 at home.