Warriors fan constructs conspiracy theory for Draymond Green suspension

The Draymond Green stomp and its aftermath are unclear enough that you can project anything onto them. One Warriors fan is projecting a conspiracy theory.

The physical collision between Draymond Green and Domantas Sabonis is open to interpretation. Some saw Sabonis dangerously grabbing Green’s leg, leaving him nowhere else to put his foot except right onto Sabonis’ chest. Others saw Sabonis curling up on the ground to protect his head, inadvertently making contact with Green’s leg, and then receiving a completely unjustified chest stomp.

The referees, for the record, saw it somewhere in the middle — a flagrant 1 for Sabonis and a flagrant 2 and ejection for Green.

And then there is the aftermath. Yesterday, Shams Charania Tweeted that it would be unlikely Green was suspended. Today, it was announced he would be suspended for Game 3 with a pointed statement referencing not just the stomp but Green’s “history of unsportsmanlike acts.”

Some saw justice. Some saw a travesty. And some saw a conspiracy considering that Joe Dumars, who handed down the suspension as NBA Head of Basketball Operations, spent two years as an executive with the Kings, leaving that position less than a year ago.

Does this Joe Dumars conspiracy theory explain the Draymond Green suspension?

No. Of course not. No.

First, Dumars does not unilaterally decide on suspensions in his role, even if his role requires him to officially hand them down. Second, Dumars has a deep relationship with Green, one that predates his relationship with the Kings by nearly a decade.

According to MLive, Green met Dumars when he was a sophomore in high school and has long been a mentor for the Michigan State forward.

"“Since then, the Hall of Famer has given Green advice on how to carry himself, how to approach this weekend’s combine workouts – in short, “how to be a pro,” Green said.”"

Their relationship has persisted over the years. If Dumars declined to suspend Green, no one would really claim their personal relationship was the deciding factor. It’s disingenuous to argue that a two-year stint in the Kings’ front office was more impactful to his decision-making process.

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