Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green revealed what Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James told him during Green’s indefinite suspension from the NBA after he struck Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the face during a game on Dec. 12.
“Bron checking in, ‘Yo, just want you to know that we with you,’” Green said. “‘We love you champ. We ride with you. Do whatever you gotta do. Know that we with you.’”
Green shared that he was considering retiring during his suspension, but NBA commissioner Adam Silver talked him out of it.
Draymond Green says he considered retiring during his suspension, per @wojespn pic.twitter.com/ik2ODSIlms
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 8, 2024
The 2023-24 season has been a rough one for Green, as he’s been suspended on multiple occasions and ejected from three different games. It’s been tough for the Warriors, as Green is in the first season of a four-year deal that he signed to remain in Golden State this past offseason.
With Green sidelined, Golden State currently holds a 17-19 record and is the No. 11 seed in the Western Conference.
Even though James and Green are on rival teams – and have competed against each other in the NBA Finals on four occasions in their NBA career – there clearly is a mutual respect between the two players.
James certainly wanted to make sure that Green was doing well during his absence, and it appears the time away from the game was tough on the Warriors star – especially since he was considering walking away from the game.
While Green has been in turmoil this season, he’s actually played well for Golden State when he’s been on the floor. Green is averaging 9.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game while shooting 49.0 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from 3-point range.
A four-time NBA champion and former Defensive Player of the Year award winner, Green was suspended earlier in the 2023-24 season for putting Minnesota Timberwolves big man Rudy Gobert in a headlock during a scuffle between the teams.
Hopefully, Green’s time away – and support from players like James – will allow him to return to the NBA and make an impact for Golden State this season.
The Lakers and Warriors will face each other on Jan. 27, and it’s likely that James and Green will get a chance to show their respect for each other on the floor in that game. Los Angeles is currently ahead of the Warriors in the Western Conference, holding the No. 10 seed after a win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.
