Warriors forward Draymond Green believes Spurs star Victor Wembanyama deserves to be suspended for his actions throughout the playoffs, relays Ryan Dunleavy of The New York Post. Green, who’s working as a studio analyst on ESPN’s coverage of the NBA Finals, made the remarks on the latest edition of his podcast (Twitter link).
“Listen, I’m not one that wants to see series decided by suspensions,” Green said. “That’s not good for anyone. It leaves a lot of questions, a lot of what-ifs. I don’t enjoy that. I will say, he’s been shown a lot of grace. He probably should be suspended at some point – or (should) have been already – but he’s been shown a lot of grace.”
Wembanyama is one flagrant foul point away from triggering an automatic suspension after being whistled for a flagrant 1 for elbowing Karl-Anthony Towns in the chin during Wednesday’s game. Wembanyama could have been assessed another flagrant 1 for shoving Jalen Brunson in the back of the head during Game 3, but the NBA opted not to impose a penalty.
Green, of course, has a long history with league discipline, being suspended six times during his career, including Game 5 of the NBA Finals in 2016. Even though he supports suspending Wembanyama, he understands that the league office doesn’t want to decide the series.
“I wish the NBA would just come out and say, ‘In most cases, this probably should be a suspension, but it’s not because we want our best in the NBA Finals and that’s the way it should be,’” Green added. “And I agree with that.”
There’s more from San Antonio:
- Wembanyama has been a huge influence on rookie Carter Bryant, Tom Orsborne of The San Antonio Express-News writes in a subscriber-only story. The French star has helped the 20-year-old forward adjust to NBA life, frequently offering advice during long flights. “Me and Vic sit next to each other on the plane, so we’ve had a ton of conversations, whether that was easy conversations, hard conversations, just me checking up on him, him checking up on me,” Bryant said. “Sometimes you need a brother to lean on, somebody to hug and somebody to spill out your emotions to and your words to. We’ve both been there for each other. I’m super grateful for Vic.”
- A larger role for Dylan Harper could help the Spurs salvage the series, suggests Steve Aschburner of NBA.com. The rookie guard is averaging 16.3 PPG off the bench during the Finals and has been outplaying De’Aaron Fox. However, coach Mitch Johnson still seems inclined to lean on Fox’s experience in crunch time.
- Johnson believes the Spurs lost their focus in the third quarter of Game 4, which planted the seeds for New York’s dramatic comeback, per Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports. “There [were] a lot of things that we did, where it felt like we could have put our energy into the right spots in that third quarter,” Johnson said. “Some things that I could have done to help that, as well. I think that quarter probably was the most disappointing for me. There’s some learning things in every quarter, don’t get me wrong, some things we want to be sharper with, better at, finish games. We weren’t as connected and disciplined as we should have been.”
Fox’s experience really showed up at the end of last game when all he had to do was hold the ball and get fouled and make 2 Free Throws. Some experience! LMAO Must be talking about Bad experiences.
The boy Dylan been outplaying pretty much everyone, not just DFox. I would definitely have Fox on the trade block this offseason if I’m SAS tho. Dylan is a superstar, he’s gotta be in the starting lineup next season.
Jalen Green & Oso Ighodaro for De’Aaron Fox seems like a good deal for both teams.
Jalen hits his 3rd team in 3yrs but he retains his explosive scoring ability. He was in a sorta perfect situation for himself in Houston, moved to a much less optimal situation in alongside Book/Grayson in Phoenix & now moves back to a well-defined role on a great young team w/ the Spurs. Dylan & Castle would obv start for the foreseeable future but Jalen would be a perfect 3rd guard/6th man/microwave scorer type. Spurs would also get an athletic, Taj Gibson type, young big in Oso that can upgrade Plumlee or Olynyk’s spot on the roster.
Suns would add payroll & lose a promising young rotation big in Oso. But they’d solve the pg problem they’ve had since they traded CPaul for Beal. DFox & DBook would lowkey be 1 of the very best backcourts in the game. Fox wouldn’t just make Book better & make the game easier on him, I think he’d do wonders for a young guy like Maluach as well.
I like it and I think with Green’s injury history it makes it more of a fair swap in the eyes of the Suns. Hopefully Green is passed all that, but they would still need to justify the trade and that would certainly do it. I agree it helps both teams.
Fox injury history comparable to his & prob more worrisome bc he has a few yrs on Jalen but every guard in the league is pretty equally capable of being injured. Obv a few exceptions for guys that have specific long-standing issues. Jalen Green is literally 1 of the most durable guys in the league tho. Suns def wouldn’t do this trade bc of any worries about his durability. They’d do it to add the elite pg they’ve been needing ever since they trade Chris Paul.
I haven’t looked it up, but it just seems like Green’s hamstring has been a recurring thing? But as I said, hopefully it’s in the past and he can continue to have an excellent career. A trade like that would be great for both teams.
Nah he sat out the 1st half of the season but when he got back he got stronger & stronger. He was an iron man before that & he’ll be fine to start next season/the rest of his career.
I feel for fox. that was a split-second decision to go for it, and if his judgement was correct that he could beat OG to the cup then it would have been a better option than having to make 2 ft under all that pressure. Super unfair for people to be calling for him to be traded after a couple of mistakes, he’s been such a big part of why they’re in the finals in the first place.
the spurs are better with him than without him
Donkey Green has very little brain cells
He is right if that was him he would have been kicked out and suspended a game.
Wemby such a likable guy and I really don’t agree with all this flagrant stuff they’re talking about.
I’m on the big man side and find it irritating when the little guys come in slapping and clawing that our only defense is to throw an elbow here and there. Old school. Coach says to “be strong down low..,” well what does that mean? Lol what do I do? Get wide and protect the ball?
But definitely Not talking about a flagrant bow to the face, but Wemby is so tall it’s like his normal motion unfortunately finds a guy‘s head.
There’s So many different factors, but I side with Wemby. I just don’t see him as dirty.
Anyway, I think there’s an anti-European vibe at least a little bit in the NBA. I don’t know if I’m right on that.., maybe others know more but it’s a sense I get.
Doesn’t matter French, Serbs.., whatever.., Italians…, I don’t think NBA guys have an affinity for the euros.
Seriously this Has to be true because Graymond is TOTALLY contradicting what he is really all about. How can he advocate a guy getting kicked out when his entire persona and game is trying to fight that from happening for himself?
This has to be anti-Euro sentiment because it makes absolutely zero sense that these words are coming from Greymond.
Lol anti euro sentiment? Green told the truth.
I see a lot of compelling arguments on both sides.
You’re not wrong but I do see you’re a Knicks fan so there’s that.
I see both sides, but I’m gonna side with Shaq and the way he looks at it.
Plus personal experience playing Ball myself. It’s because of this stuff that I have stopped playing around the basket and all move around the perimeter like a guard now like the so I don’t get whacked and slapped and hit in the face by over aggressive defenders when I have the ball.
It’s all good. That’s hoop. I can see both sides here.
This is hysterical. The human technical foul looking to have somebody suspended the league should’ve exiled him years ago.
For all the Wemby haters – some questions: 1. Has he ever done anything before these playoffs? NO. 2. Has he had the crap beaten out of him on every possession in these playoffs? YES. 3. Prior to the elbow in Minnesota with fouled three times so that if the ref had done his job, the whistle would’ve blown long before the elbow? YES.
But he got that and deserved it the push on Brunson should’ve been a foul but absolutely did not need the criteria for a flagrant. About the towns one is borderline, because there simply no follow through, but there was no chance the league wasn’t calling that one.
Unfortunately, the real issue is that Wemby isn’t remotely dirty – his problem is every time he uses his elbows it will hit someone above the shoulders. He gets hit w dozens on elbows every night – but to his mid section. This is going to be an issue for his career but idiots like Draymond don’t matter.
The league should be embarrassed to put him on the air.