NBA set a subtle, scary precedent with Draymond Green suspension

The NBA’s language on its announcement of the Draymond Green suspension set a slightly troublesome precedent.

After it was initially leaked that the NBA was leaning toward not suspending Draymond Green for stepping on Domantas Sabonis in Game 2, the league ended up bringing a one-game suspension down against the forward. Green will miss the Golden State Warriors’ first home game of the series as they look to climb back from a 2-0 deficit against the Sacramento Kings.

There was stark division in opinions over the step (or, depending on how you view it, stomp). Some thought Domantas Sabonis grabbed Green’s leg, others thought his arms incidentally wrapped around as he instinctively protected himself.

Several NBA players pointed out that they thought Green had nowhere to step, and that even the flagrant 2 (which resulted in an automatic ejection) was too much.

In the end, Green is suspended. But in the process, regardless of if you agree with the suspension or not, a scary precedent was set.

NBA sets a precedent with Draymond Green suspension that isn’t good for league

Here’s the press release that the NBA put out announcing Green’s one-game suspension:

Here’s the relevant portion (emphasis my own):

“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 suspension was based in part on Green’s history of unsportsmanlike acts.“

It’s no secret that Green has been at the center of controversy over “dirty” plays and fouls before. There are YouTube compilations of the various times he’s been in-view for that. To start this season, even, he was suspended for punching his own teammate in a practice.

Some might justify his actions as the other side of the coin of positive traits — high energy, intense competitor, etc. — but it’s hard to suggest that he doesn’t have a history of acting this way.

But this suspension should have been about one thing: Draymond Green stepping on Domantas Sabonis. Did that, by itself, warrant a suspension? If not, keep it moving. If so, suspend him.

Bringing events outside of the flagrant foul — and outside of this series and playoff run, too — in question into the equation is unfair to Green, the Warriors, and the competition at hand between Sacramento and Golden State. The scales were tilted against Green here if that was a part of the decision calculus.

For what it’s worth, I fully support a suspension and thought he deserved one upon first view of the “stomp”, and especially felt that way after an alternative angle painted a different picture than was shown on the national broadcast. But I think the stomp on its own was worth a suspension.

Now, the NBA has opened up a can of worms in the way of a precedent. The league has now made it clear that they’ll consider a player’s history when ruminating over disciplinary matters.

If that’s the case, what’s the point of a “clean slate” on flagrant fouls when the playoffs start?

The NBA got this one right in the end, but not without compromising its long-term disciplinary precedents.