Warriors' Draymond Green Reinstated After 12-Game NBA Suspension; Return Date TBD – Bleacher Report

Golden State Warriors veteran Draymond Green has been reinstated by the NBA after serving a 12-game suspension following an incident involving Phoenix Suns veteran Jusuf Nurkić on Dec. 12, the league announced Saturday.
Green is eligible to return to the lineup on Sunday against the Toronto Raptors. However, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Saturday that he is expected to need approximately a week to ramp up for a return to the court.
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Green’s return had been expected for some time as Wojnarowski reported Thursday that he had returned to the team’s facility to begin ramping up to resume play.
Wojnarowski wrote:
Green was ejected from the Dec. 12 game against the Suns in the third quarter after being called for a Flagrant 2 foul after he hit Nurkić in the face.
Just a few minutes into the third quarter, Green and Nurkić were battling for positioning when the Warriors veteran swung around and hit the Suns big man in the head. Nurkić hit the floor in pain and officials reviewed the play before tossing Green out of the game.
The NBA announced an indefinite suspension for Green the next day, and Wojnarowski reported that the veteran was expected to receive counseling as part of the conditions for him to return to the court.
Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes also reported that Green would be allowed to practice with the team during his suspension.
Green apologized for the incident after the game, saying he didn’t try to hit Nurkić, adding that he does “sell calls” with his arms.
“I don’t fall to sell a call, I’m not a flopper,” Green told reporters. “So I was selling the call because he was grabbing me and pulling my hip back. So I swung away and unfortunately, I hit him.”
Green was suspended for the fifth time in his career earlier this season for putting Minnesota Timberwolves big man Rudy Gobert into a headlock during an In-Season Tournament matchup.
The 33-year-old was given a five-game suspension as the NBA cited past infractions in relation to the punishment.
Green’s antics have certainly put a stain on what has been a Hall of Fame-worthy career otherwise. He’s a four-time NBA champion, four-time All-Star and the 2016-17 Defensive Player of the Year, among other accolades.
The Michigan State product is averaging 9.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists in 15 games this season while shooting 49.0 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from beyond the arc.
Green’s return to the Warriors will be a huge boost for the team as they sit 10th in the Western Conference with a 17-18 record and have gone 7-5 without him on the floor.

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