NBA Commissioner Adam Silver Breaks His Silence On Draymond Green Suspension

As Warriors star Draymond Green prepares to make his NBA return, commissioner Adam Silver recently took the podium to discuss the process of Dray's return. Silver confirmed that he and Green had a serious chat behind closed doors but left it to Dray to disclose details about what they discussed.

"In terms of Draymond, at the time we were having those conversations, certainly from my standpoint they're private, that's his right if he chooses to make them public, there's certainly no agreement we had that everything was private," said Silver. "I'll leave it to him to comment on what we discussed. I would be speaking up if he was saying something that wasn't consistent with our discussions. I would just conclude by saying I'm pleased he's close to being back and my sense is he used this time away from the court very productively."

According to Draymond, Adam Silver got in contact with him after the suspension and they had a very serious talk in private. Draymond recently admitted that he contemplated retirement to Silver before that idea was promptly shut down by the commissioner. Whatever was said that day, it was enough for Green to get his act together and push through this latest obstacle of his NBA career. Now, he's just got to make sure a similar outburst doesn't happen again.

The Last Strike For Draymond

As a 4x All-Star, 4x champion, 2x All-NBA player, and defensive anchor to one of the greatest teams ever assembled, there is no questioning Draymond's legacy as a winner for the Warriors. Based on what he's done over the past 11 years, Green has more than earned some leeway with the franchise, but he's worn his chances thin after repeated incidents both during games and behind the scenes.

The most famous of these incidents came at the start of last season when Draymond punched and knocked out his own teammate in the face during a pre-season practice. But now, after a strangely defiant 2023-24 campaign, Green is fighting for his basketball future. At this point, any more slip-ups or mishaps could result in extraordinary action and he'll have to be on his best behavior from here on out. Sadly, for the Warriors, it's just one of their many problems this season.

The End Of The Dynasty?

Draymond Green's outbursts this season have been just one of a hoard of problems in Golden State. Not long removed from their fourth championship, the Warriors are struggling to hold it together. After back-to-back blowout losses at home, the Dubs are now 12th in the standings with a 17-20 record overall. By all accounts, the Warriors are a shell of their former selves, and making trades may be the only way to salvage the situation.

Against the Bulls on Friday, the Warriors will have another chance to right the ship and get back on track, but they need a more permanent fix to secure a top-six standing in the West this season. Of course, they will also need Draymond Green to do his thing for them and to keep his control on the court even when the going gets tough. In just 15 games this campaign, Dray is averaging 9.7 points, 5.8 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game on 49.0% shooting.