Mateo’s Hoops Diary: Draymond Green can’t stop talking about Jordan Poole

As a guest on the Pat Bev Podcast with Rone, Draymond Green tried to convince the public he has self-control when probed about the teammate he abused. Disturbingly, Beverly and co-host Adam Ferrone soaked up every syllable of psychobabble, confusing it for wisdom.  

Green’s defense, “We know stuff you don’t say amongst men,” sounds awfully close to the excuse pulled by domestic abusers everywhere. It also waters down his public October apology. 

Gag.

Aside from insulting Jordan Poole, now a Wizard, the episode included Chris Paul getting reminded that affection is not felt by Green, plus some obsequious praise towards LeBron James. 

Green might get asked about KOing Poole in every interview for the rest of his life.  If only Draymond, as a former teammate, had the decency this time to keep things quiet. Rone asked him about rapper Cam’ron stating on his show, It Is What it is, if Poole disrespected him as was reported.  Green said no, then offered his manipulatively vague justification.  

“I’ve been in this league 11 years, and I haven’t injured anybody,” Green said.  “Dialogue happens, and dialogue happens over a course of time.  You usually ain’t just triggered by something that fast to that degree. This is a team.  [Nobody] on my team is triggering me in an instant…”

Not counting Poole? He hurt Steven Adams, then with OKC, with a fierce strike to the testicles, and he stomped on Domantas Sabonis’ ribs after his leg was grabbed.

Beverly approved of his guest’s explanation, saying when “young guys coming in who don’t know the motion with things” cross the line with players like Green, it’s disrespectful to the team. I wonder if his interpretation of Green leaving Poole unconscious qualifies as dignified.

It didn’t take long after the release of the episode for Poole’s father, Anthony, to see it because sound bites were circulating like whiskey after the repeal of the 18th Amendment. A brief verbal dispute ensued between him and Green that’s as sad as it is embarrassing for the Warriors. JP is gone, yet Green is quick on the draw to shield himself from blame by trying to persuade the audience to believe the punch was deserved over what was said. 

Had Draymond assaulted Poole in a workplace unrelated to sports, he would have left the building in cuffs had he not escaped before authorities arrived.  

Poole was traded because the team wanted to shed salary, but it should have seriously altered its DNA before the last exchange deadline.  The Warriors were doomed as soon as those in charge thought the team could go into the season and defend its crown with a poisonous locker room. Green should have been the first to go. 

Now that Paul is a Warrior, the team is farther away from championship contention because it needed to get younger and faster, not older and slower. It shouldn’t get ignored either that Rone condescendingly asked if anyone liked the new Warrior, and Green said nothing. 

Hopefully, Green’s offensive play next year isn’t as pathetic as his welcoming of CP and treatment of Poole.