Four-time NBA champion Draymond Green appears to have cleared the final hurdle to return to the Golden State Warriors.
The NBA reported Saturday that the longtime Warriors forward was back after missing the team's last 12 games due to suspension, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported.
Officials said Wojnarowski-Green will likely take about a week to prepare for a return to play.
Green has been suspended since mid-December. on-court altercation Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic.
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Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green poses for a photo during NBA Basketball Media Day in San Francisco on September 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vasquez)
The NBA released a statement saying Green has demonstrated a willingness to take the necessary steps to address his recent actions.
“Green has completed steps demonstrating his commitment to conforming his conduct to the standards expected of NBA players,” the league said in a statement. “He has met with a counselor and has had multiple joint meetings with representatives from the NBA, the Warriors, and the National Basketball Players Association, both of which are expected to continue throughout the season.”
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Last month, ESPN reported that Green was attending virtual meetings with team officials, the players' union and NBA representatives to track his progress toward a return.
Green is represented by the founder of Klutch Sports rich paul. He, a prominent sports agent, and Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. are also believed to be part of the group that took part in the meeting.
Those sessions were part of what the NBA described as “certain league and team conditions” that Green must meet before returning to the team.
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) reacts against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center on December 12, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Mark J. Revillas/USA Today Sports)
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr expressed support for Green shortly after the suspension was announced.
“The one who strangled Rudy, the one who threw a wild flail at Jusuf, the one who punched Jordan. [Poole] He’s a player who needed to change last year,” Kerr said the day after the league announced Green’s suspension.
“This isn't just about abuse on the court. This is about his life. This is a man I believe in, a man I've known for decades, whose loyalty I hold. It's about someone you love.”
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, 23, trots off the court after being ejected during the second half of a game against the Phoenix Suns in Phoenix, Dec. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Rick Scutelli)
Green signed a four-year contract extension with the Warriors in late June. He was named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 and has long been considered a key player in the Warriors' dynasty that produced four NBA titles.
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According to ESPN, Green lost just under $2 million in wages while serving his suspension. Green State went 7-5 in Green's absence.
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