The NBA issued a bevy of fines and suspensions this week following the altercation between Golden State Warrior Draymond Green and Washington Wizard Bradley Beal. Beal and Green were both fined $50,000 and $25,000 respectively. The Wizards’ Kelly Oubre was fined $15,000 for “aggressively entering the altercation.” Markeiff Morris and rookie Carrick Felix were suspended for leaving the bench area.
During his media availability on Monday morning, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year articulated his feelings toward his fine. He alluded to the fact that he was rendered helpless and had no way of ‘disengaging.’
Following from Chris Haynes of ESPN,
“I was also naive enough to think they’d say, you know, I got slapped, or whatever I got in the face and then grabbed. I don’t know what else you’re supposed to do at that point. I didn’t even grab him and slam him. I grabbed him and held my ground, and then they slammed me on top of him. What did they say? I continued, or I failed to disengage? How do you disengage at that point? That sounds like we got him, to me. I have never heard that before in my life.”
Green feels that his fine may have been overly punitive given his overall role in the fracas.
“And then for him to get fined only $50,000 and I get fined $25,000. Oubre came in throwing punches and he gets fined less than me? That just don’t add up. I know [the league is] not the biggest fan of me, and that’s fine, but don’t be so obvious that you’re not the biggest fan of me. That’s just too obvious. So, I think at the end of the day, they’re going to make out who they want to make out to be the bad guy. That’s cool, but be fair across the board.”
Green may have a point. After he and Beal embraced each other, both players were engulfed by members of each team. Green had no course of action to remove himself from the situation after the pile was formed on top him. Given his past violations, Green is being watched under a microscope. No matter how unfair it may be, Green is under more scrutiny when it comes to “violent” behavior more than any player in the league.
