SAN FRANCISCO – Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green spent nearly his entire post-game press conference Monday night criticizing the NBA’s treatment of players, citing several examples of double behavior on the part of the league.
Green’s unexpected three-minute opinion came on the heels of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State’s opponent on Monday, who decided not to play against center Andre Drummond until they found a trade to make.
“I’d like to talk about something that really bothers me,” Green said after the Warriors’ 129-98 win. “And it’s the treatment of the players in this league. Seeing Andre Drummond, before the game, sit on the side, then go back and go out in street clothes because a team thinks to change it is a m … .. . “.
As reported on Monday Adrian Wojnarowski Y Brian Windhorst On ESPN, the Cavs are moving on to make Jarrett Allen the new center of the team and “believe it’s unfair for Drummond to limit his minutes” as the organization goes through that process. “
Green continued, “ Because when James Harden asked for an exchange, and in fact got it, no one came to say that James was trying to spend his last days in Houston, but instead he was ‘neutered’ because he went to another team. Everyone. They destroyed him. However, a team can go out and say, ‘Oh, we want to change players, and then that guy has to sit down, and if he doesn’t stay professional then he’s cancer, he’s no good in the locker room, and that’s the problem . ‘
Drummond, who wore streetwear for most of the game at Chase Center sitting on the Cavs’ bench, ran into Green a few moments before kickoff. While it’s unclear what they were talking about, Green’s message was spotted when he took the podium after the game.
“We see situations where Harrison Barnes is taken off the couch,” Green said, “or DeMarcus Cousins find out that he was traded in an interview after the All-Star Game, and we continue to allow this. I was even fined for giving my opinion on what I thought about it or what could happen to another player, but the teams are free to keep saying, ‘Oh, we’re trading guys, we’re not going with you guys play.’ And yet we must remain professional. “
Green, who has long been an outspoken critic of issues he feels strongly about, was fined $ 50,000 for his comments during his time as a guest analyst for Turner Sports on the NBA reboot in Orlando, Florida. last season. That time he said Phoenix Suns security guard Devin Booker had to leave the organization.
“At some point, we have to be treated with the same respect as players,” said Green. “And have the same rights that the team can have. Because as a player you are the worst person in the world if you want a different situation. But a team can say they want to trade you. And that man has to stay. In shape he has to be professional. If not, his career is at stake. At some point, this competition should protect players from such shame. “
Green’s words came the same day Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver told ESPN that the team would be sitting down former All-Star Blake Griffin trying to close a deal or a possible purchase of his contract and let it free.
“We all talked about this, ‘You can’t do this, you can’t say that in public,’” Green said. “If you say that publicly … Anthony Davis was fined, I think $ 100,000 or something like that for demanding a trade, but you can say Andre Drummond will be publicly traded and we are looking to trading it publicly, so the player has to keep his professionalism and deal with it?
And then when Kyrie Irving says, ‘Oh my sanity is bad’ it drives everyone crazy too. Don’t you think this affects someone mentally? As much as we put into this game to be great., To go out play and stay in shape, to produce for the fans every night, and most importantly, to help your team win, do you think this doesn’t affect anyone mentally? “
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The point guard led Golden State with 36 points against a team from Cleveland that tied its eighth loss.
Green’s words came on a night where he tied his career record with 16 assists. His press conference began with a question that focused on the relationship he has built with Stephen Curry over the years, as Curry’s highest point totals sometimes match Green’s assistant totals. After answering that question for about 30 seconds, Green switched to the topic of the player’s treatment.
“As players they tell us, ‘Oh no, you can’t say that, you can’t say this’,” Green said. ‘But can teams? It’s in the same direction as when everyone wants to say, “That boy can’t have it. ‘But no one says that the organization cannot resolve it. At some point, players in these situations have to be respected, and it’s ridiculous, and I’m tired of seeing it. Have a great night. I see them all [el martes] or Wednesday. “