UPDATE: In a dramatic turn of events, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green left the bench after a heated exchange with coach Steve Kerr during a timeout on December 18, 2023. The incident occurred early in the third quarter of the Warriors’ 120-97 victory over the Orlando Magic, with the team trailing 71-66 at the time.
The confrontation erupted after Green committed a turnover and engaged with an official. Kerr called a timeout, aiming to refocus his team, but tensions escalated. “We had it out a little bit,” Kerr confirmed post-game. “He made his decision to go back to the locker room to cool off. That’s all I’m going to say about it. Everything is private.”
Despite attempts from teammates Moses Moody and assistant coach Jerry Stackhouse to de-escalate the situation, Green walked down the tunnel after exchanging final words with Kerr. “Tempers spilled over and I thought it was best that I get out of there,” Green stated, emphasizing he felt it was necessary to step away.
During the 8:31 he spent in the locker room, veteran teammates including Jimmy Butler III and Al Horford checked on him. Green returned to the bench before the fourth quarter but did not remove his warmups and did not re-enter the game. Kerr made it clear he would not have put Green back in: “He left. We moved forward and the guys played great.”
This incident marks the second consecutive game Green has left prematurely. On December 16, he was ejected after just eight minutes against the Phoenix Suns. “We need Draymond,” Kerr added. “He’s a champion. It’s unfortunate what happened, but it happened.”
Following Green’s departure, the Warriors surged ahead, largely due to an outstanding performance from Stephen Curry, who scored 26 points and hit all six of his shots in the third quarter. While the Warriors celebrated their two-game winning streak, now improving to a 15-15 record, the incident with Green overshadowed their success.
Curry addressed the media, suggesting that the atmosphere in the locker room remained positive despite the earlier conflict. “The questions are a little bit more negative than they should be,” he said. “Downstairs right now, the DJ has a good playlist going, the guys are getting their work in, and we’re having a good time because we’re winning.”
Green’s recent struggles have drawn scrutiny, with a total of 13 turnovers over the last two losses. However, he defended his performance, stating, “I had one turnover today. I know how to fix problems when they’re a problem.”
As of now, Green has not spoken with Kerr about the incident but took the initiative to address reporters to clarify the situation. Both players have a history of disagreements, but Green reassured fans that they would move forward: “We’ve been at this now for a long time. Sometimes you’re with people for a long time and there’s a level of comfort and things happen.”
The Warriors will need to ensure that this incident does not disrupt their momentum as they look to build on their recent successes. Fans and analysts will be closely watching how this situation unfolds in the coming days.
