Getty Jordan Poole of the Golden State Warriors.
Things certainly haven’t gone according to plan for the Golden State Warriors so far in the postseason. They find themselves in a 2-0 hole to the Sacramento Kings heading into Thursday’s Game 3, Draymond Green is suspended, and now their young guys are reportedly upset with playing time.
According to Fox Sports’ Chris Broussard, Jonathan Kuminga, Donte DiVincezon, and Jordan Poole have all been “pouting” because of their lack of minutes in the playoffs.
“I was talking to somebody earlier who’s ‘in the know’ who said that some of their players are pouting,” Broussard said on the April “The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard & Rob Parker” The young boys. [Jonathan] Kuminga, [Donte] DiVincenzo, Jordan Poole… cause they’re not getting minutes.”
The trio combined for a total of just 33 minutes in Monday’s Game 2 loss at the Golden 1 Center, with Kuminga logging 4, DiVincenzo 13, and Poole 16.
Their lack of minutes was probably for good reason. Kuminga, DiVincenzo, and Poole were a combined -27 and scored just 4 points (Poole shot 1-of-7, neither Kuminga nor DiVincenzo attempted a shot).
The “pouting” supporting cast hasn’t exactly been contributing to winning, which is likely why head coach Steve Kerr has pulled back on their playing time.
Warriors Angry with NBA’s Draymond Green Suspension
With Green’s suspension, Kuminga may see a bit more time in Game 3. So maybe he’ll stop “pouting.”
The Warriors are doing a bit more than pouting about the NBA’s decision to suspend the 33-year-old forward though.
According to ESPN’s Zach Lowe, there’s “anger” coming from within the organization regarding Green’s suspension.
“There is some anger within the organization toward the league,” Lowe said on the April 19 edition of “The Lowe Post” podcast. “There’s a sense in the organization that Sabonis is shoving people on offensive rebounds and playing with his elbows out and using the ball as a weapon on offense.”
Okay, so maybe they’re pouting too.
The league issued a statement on Green’s suspension on Tuesday night, citing some of his prior antics as reasoning for the harsh punishment.
“Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has been suspended one game without pay for stepping on the chest of Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations,” the NBA said in a statement. “The suspension was based in part on Green’s history of unsportsmanlike acts. Green’s actions were in response to Sabonis grabbing and holding Green’s right ankle after falling to the floor. Green received a Flagrant Foul 2 and was ejected, and Sabonis was assesed a technical foul.”
The following was released by the NBA.
It Could Be Time for Warriors/Draymond Green Split
On a more serious note, Green’s contract includes a player option for next season, allowing him to opt out and test free agency this summer.
“Bleacher Report’s” Grant Hughes recently made the argument that it may be time for the two sides to split, and for Green to find a new NBA home.
“The timing might be right for Draymond Green to decline his $27.6 million player option for 2023-24 and enter unrestricted free agency,” Hughes said in an article published on April 18. “Coming off a season marked by his highest field-goal percentage ever, best three-point hit rate and scoring average since 2017-18 and most games played since 2016-17, Green should be motivated to lock in what’ll probably be the last sizable contract of his career. While $27.6 million is a lot of money to turn down for a 33-year-old whose fit on other rosters has long been a point of uncertainty, it’s hard to imagine his odds of a hefty three- or four-year pact will be any better a year from now.”