“I failed as a leader,” Green said at a news conference Saturday, calling the punch a “huge mistake” while apologizing to the Warriors organization, his teammates and Poole’s family. “As a man, I failed.”
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said Saturday that Green’s separation from the team was a “mutual decision” between the organization and players and that there was “no firm date” for his return. Green in the Golden State Warriors’ season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 10. 18. It remains uncertain when the defending champions will receive their rings.
In a video clip first released by TMZ without audio, Green walked to the baseline where Poole stood until the two faced each other. Poole then pushed Green with both hands, and then Green slammed Poole with enough force that Poole’s head was thrown back and the others charged towards the pair.
The feud between Green and Poole was first reported on Wednesday, and the Warriors did not immediately discipline Green, instead treating the matter as an internal matter.
Warriors general manager Bob Myers told reporters Thursday that Green had apologized to the team for the altercation, left the practice facility and is not expected to return until Saturday. Myers initially said he didn’t think Green would be suspended or miss any games as a result, and Poole, who wasn’t battered, returned to practice Thursday. The decision drew scrutiny once video of the incident leaked on Friday.
Green said he was “in a very, very, very bad state mentally” and he was “dealing with some things in my personal life” that could have caused him to be short-tempered and unresponsive. Green, who acknowledged his history of emotional outbursts, said he was a “flawed person” and “always a work in progress” and that he still “has a long way to go.”
“Hurting people hurts people,” he said. “I hurt someone because I was in an injured place.”
The 2017 Defensive Player of the Year also expressed frustration and embarrassment over the leak of the video, and he thanked the Warriors for their investigation to determine who was responsible. Green, who said he watched the video at least 15 times, concluded that his actions “looked worse than I thought” and “sad”.
“I think [the leak] It’s the bulls—” Green said. “No other footage leaked from the practice. They don’t leak when we work on our sets. This doesn’t leak when I instruct everyone. “
Multiple Warriors quickly came after Poole’s defense Yahoo report During training camp, “Pool’s behavior changed” and the possibility of a lucrative contract extension loomed.Forward Andre Iguodala calls him “Good character kid” and said Green’s behavior was “Family business.” Warriors star Stephen Curry says such claims are ‘absolute crap’
“There’s nothing to prove this is the case,” Curry said Thursday. “I want to make that clear. It’s also something that we don’t think will ruin our season and that we’re trying to build, and Draymond is a part of that.”
Kerr said Poole had “played well throughout training camp,” and the coach dismissed concerns about the guard’s attitude.
A four-time All-Star and seven-time All-Defensive, Green has been involved in several combative incidents during his career. During a blasphemous midfield outburst against Kerr in 2016, Green reportedly yelled “I’m not a robot!” so loud that he stood in a reporter outside the Oklahoma City visiting team’s locker room. His voice can be heard. In 2018, the Warriors suspended Green for one game for a dispute he had with teammate Kevin Durant, which arose before Durant left the Brooklyn Nets in 2019.
Green was suspended by the NBA after he took a light blow to LeBron James in the 2016 Finals and exceeded the flagrant foul point limit in the playoffs, and he later admitted that absence cost the Warriors their 2016 championship title. He was also ejected for a flagrant foul in a second-round playoff game against the Memphis Grizzlies in May.
While under contract for the 2023-24 season, Green is eligible for an offseason extension, but he said last month that he doesn’t expect to complete the deal before the season begins.
Poole, 23, has a breakthrough in 2021-22, averaging career highs of 18.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists in his third season. An early favorite to win the Sixth Man of the Year award, Poole’s next contract could be similar in size to the recent four-year, $130 million extension that Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro signed.
Green said he hadn’t met with Poole since the incident, but insisted that parallel contract talks weren’t the driving factor behind his punch.
“I can assure you that I don’t count other people’s pockets,” he said. “It’s not something I would start doing. The way I grew up, I just hated the situation other people were in.”