Warriors once again grappling with the duality of Draymond Green

By Melissa Rohlin
FOX Sports NBA Writer

Draymond Green has hit another inflection point in his career. 

During Golden State Warriors practice Wednesday, trash talk between Green and teammate Jordan Poole took a turn. After a push from Poole, Green punched the fourth-year guard, transforming a routine scene into one that has the potential to fracture any team, even one fresh off an NBA championship.  

The reason behind the altercation is still unclear. Both Green and Poole are eligible for contract extensions, but Warriors general manager Bob Myers and superstar Stephen Curry both said Thursday that isn’t why things became so explosive. 

"I don't think this was related to who is getting paid and who isn't," Myers said.

The truth behind what exactly happened likely won't be divulged until Green opens up on his podcast or Poole is interviewed. 

But this much is for sure, the Warriors now have to pick up the pieces — a position they've been in before with Green. After all, if you’re playing with Green, you’re playing with fire.

He has often been the team’s heartbeat since they selected him as the 35th overall pick in the 2012 draft, helping lead them to four titles. He's their defensive mastermind, their ingenious passer, their fiercest rebounder, their energy source. When the four-time All-Star’s intensity is dialed up, the Warriors are at their best. He's their igniter in corporeal form. 

"Without him, we don't win," Myers said. 

But there's another side to that coin. 

Green’s emotional outbursts can go too far. He hit LeBron James in the groin in Game 4 of the 2016 Finals, leading to a suspension for a critical Game 5. (The Warriors ended up blowing a 3-1 lead and losing the series to Cleveland in seven games.) He's consistently atop the league in technical fouls. He loses control. 

Even within his own team, he has been known to not just cross the line, but smudge it with his shoe, blurring the distinction between being a competitor and a liability. 

In 2016, a heated exchange between Green and Warriors coach Steve Kerr nearly turned to blows. And during the 2018-19 season, Green infamously told Kevin Durant to leave the Warriors during an in-game spat.

These types of blow-ups typically end one of two ways -- either they provide catharsis or they leave deep scars. 

The result of Green's and Kerr's exchange? They became closer. But the same can't be said for Green and Durant. Things remained tense between the two stars all season, and Durant eventually left for Brooklyn that summer.

It's too early to tell what will become of Wednesday's incident -- but the fact that it involved physical violence elevates it to another level. 

It's far from the first time a punch has been thrown between teammates. In fact, Kerr himself stood up to Michael Jordan at a Chicago Bulls practice before the 1995-96 season when they were teammates, and Jordan responded by punching him in the face. (They went on to win a championship that year and Kerr later said in the documentary, "The Last Dance," that him standing up to Jordan "dramatically improved" their rapport.)

But with Green, the fact that TMZ obtained a video of the punch only makes the situation trickier. Emotions will likely be heightened. Players around the NBA are weighing in. Trust is broken not only among teammates, but also within the organization. The team is investigating how video got out of a closed practice, sources tell FOX Sports. 

Green tried to make things right, delivering an apology in front of the team, coaching staff and Myers, according to the GM. He then left Chase Center without participating in Thursday’s practice as part of his punishment, the exact terms of which the team has decided to keep internal. (He isn't expected to miss any games.)

 As for Poole, Myers said he's "fine" and he participated in Thursday's practice. 

But the emotional damage from these types of incidents often takes longer to heal than any physical harm. The Warriors will have to figure out a way to move forward.

Luckily for the team, they have Curry, who is well-versed in damage control. When he arrived at Chase Center on Thursday, Myers quipped, "You ready to do some leading?"

Responded Curry: "You guys have to pay me some more money." 

The exchange was lighthearted but, make no mistake, Curry is earning his $215 million contract extension for much more than his silky shooting. 

When Green and Durant had their fallout several years ago, Curry went to Green's house to have a frank talk with him. (During an exclusive interview last season, Green told FOX Sports he deeply valued both Curry’s concern and honesty.)

Following Wednesday's events, Curry said he will handle things similarly with Green this time around. 

"Be honest with him," Curry said. "He respects my opinion. He respects how I feel, and we've had those conversations. So, be honest with him about the disappointment in the situation in and of itself."

Nobody who spoke Thursday — Curry, Myers or Kerr — made excuses for Green. It's clear that they found his actions unjustifiable. 

In fact, both Kerr and Curry staunchly denied a report that there was tension between Green and Poole because Poole had a change in attitude due to his impending contract extension. 

"Nothing could be further from the truth," Kerr said. 

Added Curry: "It's absolute BS. JP's been great. There's nothing that warranted the situation [Wednesday]. Make that clear."

As for Green, he's going to have to figure out a way to dig himself out of this hole.

He clearly took things too far, putting his team in an uncomfortable position before the season even began. He threw a wrench into the well-oiled machine of a championship operation. Trust has to be rebuilt, especially for the team's young future core who isn't accustomed to these types of flare-ups. 

"I don't think he likes putting himself in these spots," Myers said. "He's in one. And I think he'll find a way to earn the respect of his teammates and Jordan back."

Perhaps this will blow over. It might all be one big forgivable mistake, chalked up to nothing more than a pressure-cooker building up too much steam. 

Or perhaps it will have lingering effects, similar to what we saw with Green and Durant in 2019, and become a simmering cauldron of unresolved bitterness. 

Only time will tell. 

Green’s passion is undoubtedly what makes him one of the best at what he does. 

But every once in a while, he's also his own tripwire, detonating everything around him.

Now, it’s up to Green to pick up the pieces once again.  

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Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.