NBA Notes: Warriors, Draymond Green, Kings, Suns, Lakers

Following Poole’s remarks after a game against Golden State, where Poole mentioned he still loves “most of those guys,” Green took to social media with a straightforward apology, declaring, “I really am sorry.”

But in typical Draymond fashion, he’s ready to move on from it, stating on his podcast, “Let’s move on. It happened. I shouldn’t have punched him, but it is what it is.”

Green’s clear message is that he wants to leave the past in the past after three years of reflection and public scrutiny.

The incident, of course, marked a turning point for the Warriors. The team, coming off a 2022 championship, couldn’t overcome the tension created by the altercation, which ultimately led to Poole being traded to the Wizards.

It’s a chapter that continues to resonate in the Bay Area, but Green, as usual, wants to shut the book.

NBA Notes

• DeMar DeRozan, still trying to process the mid-season firing of his former coach, Mike Brown, in Sacramento, described it as a “first” for him in his career. 
• Over in Phoenix, Mike Budenholzer is doing his best to downplay concerns about Jusuf Nurkic’s benching, claiming it’s not about being “benched,” but rather the big man is simply working back into shape after illness. His absence is more about health than performance, and it’s a long season, after all.
• On the Lakers front, Dorian Finney-Smith is starting to see his minutes restriction lifted after arriving in a trade with Brooklyn. Coach J.J. Redick acknowledged the difficulty of finding chemistry with a player on a limited minutes allotment, but the increased time on the court could help integrate him more effectively into the lineup moving forward.