SAN FRANCISCO – Golden State Warriors winger Draymond Green devoted nearly his entire post-game Monday night press conference to criticizing the NBA’s treatment of his players, as time went on. cite several examples of double behavior by the league.
Green’s unexpected three-minute opinion came immediately after the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State’s opponent on Monday, decided not to play Andre Drummond in center until they found an exchange to perform.
“I’d like to talk about something that really bothers me,” Green said after the Warriors ’129-98 victory. “And it’s the treatment of the players in this league. Seeing Andre Drummond, before the game, sitting to one side, then going to the back and going out in street clothes because a team thinks of changing it, is an m. …. “.
As reported on Monday Adrian Wojnarowski i Brian Windhorst of ESPN, the Cavs are making the transition to make Jarrett Allen the new center of the team and “believe it’s unfair for Drummond to limit his minutes” while the organization continues this process. “
Green continued: “Because when James Harden asked for a change, and essentially got it, no one came out to say that James was trying to spend his last days in Houston, but instead he was ‘castrated’ for wanting to go. to a different team.They all destroyed it.However, a team can come out and say, ‘Oh, we want to change a player, and then this guy has to sit down, and if he doesn’t stay professional, then it’s cancer, that he is not good in the locker room, and that he is the problem “.
Drummond, who wore street clothes at the Chase Center sitting on the Cavs bench for most of the game, met with Green for a few moments before the start. While it’s not clear what they were talking about, Green’s message was pointed out when he took the podium after the game.
“We’re seeing situations where Harrison Barnes is retired from the bench,” Green said. “Or DeMarcus Cousins finding out they changed him in an interview after the All-Star Game, and we continue to allow that to happen. They even fined me for expressing my opinion on what I thought about it or what could happen to another player, but teams are free to keep saying, ‘Oh, we’re exchanging guys, we won’t play with you.’ And yet we have to keep them professional. “
Green, who has long been an open critic when it comes to issues he feels strongly affected by, was fined $ 50,000 for his comments made during his time as a guest analyst at Turner Sports during the resumption of the NBA in Orlando, Florida, last season. That time he expressed that Phoenix Suns escort Devin Booker should leave the organization.
“At some point, as players, we have to be treated with the same respect,” Green said. “And to have the same rights that the team can have. Because as a player, you’re the worst person in the world when you want a different situation. But a team can say they want to trade you. And this man has to stay fit. , he must continue to be professional. If not, his career is at stake. At some point, this league must protect players from a shame like this. “
Green’s words came the same day Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver told ESPN that the team would sit down with former All-Star Blake Griffin as he tries to reach a deal or a possible deal. purchase your contract and set it free.
“We talk about all of this about,‘ You can’t do this, you can’t say that publicly, ’Green said. “If you say this publicly … Anthony Davis was fined, I think $ 100,000 or something to demand a change, but you can say that Andre Drummond will be exchanged publicly and that we are looking to change-publicly, then the player will have to to maintain your professionalism and fight with it?
“And then when Kyrie Irving says, ‘Oh, my mental health is bad,’ everyone goes crazy about it too. Don’t you think that affects someone mentally? No matter how much we dedicate ourselves to this game to be great, to get out to play and be fit, to produce for the fans every night, and most importantly, to help your team win, do you think that doesn’t affect anyone mentally? ”
1:20
The shipowner commanded Golden State with 36 units in front of a Cleveland squad that tied their eighth low.
Green’s words came on a night in which he tied his career record with 16 assists. His press conference began with a question centered on the relationship he has built with Stephen Curry over the years, as Curry’s high-point totals can sometimes match Green’s attendance totals. After answering this question for about 30 seconds, Green switched to the topic of player treatment.
“As players, they tell us,‘ Oh, no, you can’t say that, you can’t say that, ’” Green said. “But can teams? It goes in the same line as when everyone wants to say, ‘this guy can’t understand.'” But no one says the organization can’t solve it. At some point, players have to be respected in these situations, and it’s ridiculous, and I’m sick of seeing it. Have a great night. I see them all [el martes] on Wednesday “.