Enough is enough. The NBA should suspend Draymond Green for the rest of November following the chokehold

Draymond Green’s antics were already bordering on WWE theatrics – the way he bad-mouths his opponents and makes the opposing crowd taunt even more on his behalf.

Draymond Green, the perfect heel, the ultimate warrior.

It seemed only a matter of time before he would move from the Royal Rumble to the UFC.

That’s what happened Tuesday when an altercation began between Golden State’s Klay Thompson and Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels, drawing Rudy Gobert and Green of the Timberwolves, who put Gobert in a chokehold and dragged him away.

In a pool report after the game, which Minnesota won 104-101, NBA referee Tyler Ford called Green’s actions against Gobert a headlock. He could easily have called it a choke hold.

Green is threatened with a ban. Even in an argument, Green’s behavior has no place in the league. The only question is: how long does the ban last? A game? Three games? Five games? Ten games?

That’s because of Joe Dumars, the NBA’s executive vice president and head of basketball operations, who is responsible for discipline in the league. Last spring in the playoffs, the NBA suspended Green for a game against Sacramento for “stomping on the chest” of Kings center Domantas Sabonis.

The league has walked a tightrope with Green, recognizing the fire with which he plays and the unsportsmanlike activities he has committed.

In announcing Green’s punishment for a playoff game in April, the league noted, “The suspension was based in part on Green’s history of unsportsmanlike conduct.”

In a follow-up conversation with USA TODAY Sports, Dumars said, “It was a dangerous and unnecessary act.” The second thing was behavior that was harmful (to the league). And the third was repeat offenders. And so there was a ban. It was the totality of all three of those things.”

Green checks all three boxes in his latest nonsense. Dangerous and unnecessary. Behavior that is detrimental to the league. Repeat offenders.

This requires a multi-game ban. A stronger message is needed. It takes pain and discomfort for Green and the Warriors, who are 6-6, with four straight losses and without Steph Curry (out due to injury) struggling in a Western Conference that is better and deeper this season than last Season.

The Warriors thrive on Green’s presence, although it’s worth noting that the Warriors were better defensively when Green was off the field than on it. According to nba.com/stats, they are minus-18 with Green on the court and plus-44 with him on the bench in his nine games this season.

The league will consider Green’s history and should also consider his dislike of Gobert. Not all players get along, but the Gobert-Green feud has spread to social media. The resentment was palpable when Green mocked Gobert for crying over an All-Star rejection in 2019.

Things continued when Gobert posted on When Gobert started with teammate Kyle Anderson last season, Green posted on X: “Uncertainty is always loud.”

During an in-game interview with Green at the 2022 All-Star Game, the TNT NBA team mentioned Green’s name along with Gobert’s name. Green interrupted him and said, “You keep mentioning me in the same sentence as him, we’re nothing alike.”

Green had the chance to go straight at Gobert. The resentment became too personal.

A three-game suspension should be the minimum. Five games may be the right time to calm down several teams, but a two-week suspension for the rest of November covering seven Warriors games is the message Dumars and the league need to send.

Follow NBA columnist Jeff Zillgitt on X @JeffZillgitt

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Draymond Green should sit the rest of November after chokehold