Warriors’ Draymond Green reinstated 12 games after ejection vs. Suns

NEW YORK (AP) — Draymond Green was reinstated by the NBA from his suspension on Saturday after the Golden State star missed 12 games for hitting Phoenix center Jusuf Nurkic in the face on Dec. 12.

The league said Green “demonstrated his commitment to conforming his conduct to standards expected of NBA players” during his suspension, which began Dec. 14. He has met with a counselor as well as had multiple joint meetings with representatives of the league, the Warriors and the National Basketball Players Association.

Those meetings, the league added, will continue throughout the season.

Draymond Green was ejected from Warriors-Suns after this flagrant foul on Jusuf Nurkic.

(via @BleacherReport)pic.twitter.com/6wFJIp7htu

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) December 13, 2023

The Warriors have gone 7-5 without Green, who also was suspended for five games in November for placing Minnesota center Rudy Gobert in a headlock.

The league noted Green’s “repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts” when handing out the most recent punishment. The four-time NBA champion also was suspended after stepping on the chest of Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis in last season’s playoffs.

After agreeing to a new $100 million deal with the Warriors last summer, Green lost nearly $1.9 million in salary during the suspension.

Golden State’s next game is Sunday at home against Toronto.

The Warriors certainly need Green on the floor more often. They are scuffling along at 17-18 this season, 10th in the Western Conference, just two years removed from their most recent championship. Green has played in just 15 games and the Warriors are 10-10 in the games he has missed — including two for an ankle sprain and another for personal reasons.

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