Joe Dumars: Decision to suspend Draymond Green was ‘difficult’

Golden State’s DraymondGreen steppingon the chest of Sacramento’s DomantasSabonis was an action the league considered excessive, dangerousand worthy of suspension, NBA executive vice president Joe Dumarssaid Wednesday,

Dumars —whose job duties include being one of the NBA’s majordecision-makers for player discipline matters — shed light on whatwent into the decision to suspend Green for a playoff game, and whySabonis’ actions didn’t merit further sanctioning.

“This was notsome snap-of-the-finger decision to do this,” Dumars said in aninterview with The Associated Press. “There was much discussion,and back and forth, looking at the play itself over and over. Andthen ultimately we came to the decision that the act itself, andrepeat offenses, actually did warrant a suspension.”

The incidentwith Sabonis and Green came midway through the fourth quarter ofthe Sacramento-Golden State game on Monday night. Sabonis grabbedat Green’s ankle and Green wound up stepping — some would describeit as stomping — on Sabonis’ chest.

Sabonis got atechnical, Green was ejected, the Warriors lost to fall into a 2-0series hole and then the NBA decided Green needed to sit out a fullgame as well.

“It wasn’tlike it went completely unpunished,” Dumars said of Sabonis’ role.“We didn’t think it rose to the level of Draymond’s play —excessive, over-the-top, dangerous, repeat offender. That’s theseparation between what he did and what Draymond did.”

Green hasbeen suspended in the playoffs before, missing Game 5 of the 2016NBA Finals because of an accumulation of flagrant-foul pointsduring that postseason. He went over the limit after what the NBAcalled at the time a “retaliatory swipe of his hand to the groin”of LeBron James. Cleveland won Game 5, then prevailed in Games 6and 7 to capture the title.

It’s alsoGreen’s second suspension this season. He had to miss a game inMarch after his 16th technical of the season. And in the preseason,he also caused the Warriors major headaches by punching teammateJordan Poole in practice. He was also fined $25,000 earlier thisseason for an incident where the league found he directed obscenelanguage toward a fan.

Green spentseveral moments gesturing at and yelling to the crowd, whichincluded NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, after the play Monday night.Dumars said those antics were yet another factor.

“The stuffthat happened afterward, that doesn’t help the situation,” Dumarssaid. “But if it was just that alone, we wouldn’t be having thisconversation. I focused on the act itself, and the fact that it’s arepeat offense, those were the two main things.”

Dumars andGreen have been close for years. That didn’t make this chapter anyeasier for Dumars.

On the nightGreen was drafted, he got a phone call as he slipped into thesecond round. The caller was Dumars, then the president of theDetroit Pistons, who checked in to show support and tell him toremain calm.

“When I tookthis job I knew these type of situations would arise, not just withDraymond but also other guys I worked with and players and a lot ofpeople across the league that I have personal relationships with,”Dumars said. “I think each one of them knows Joe D. has a job todo. You have to be objective in this seat, and people have to knowI’m going to call balls and strikes, going to call it like I seeit. You have to be honest in this seat. You have to do it the rightway.”