Draymond doesn't believe Murray should be suspended for heat-pack toss

Draymond doesn't believe Murray should be suspended for heat-pack toss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

With the Warriors missing the 2024 NBA playoffs, Draymond Green has plenty of time to watch the conference semifinals and offer his opinion on his podcast.

On Tuesday's episode of "The Draymond Green Show," the Golden State star known for his on-court antics offered his expert opinion on the controversial events that took place during the Minnesota Timberwolves' Game 2 rout of the Denver Nuggets on Monday, when Jamal Murray tossed a heat pack onto the floor.

As the NBA world discussed what, if any, punishment Murray should face for his actions, Green said he doesn't believe the Nuggets guard should be suspended.

"I was just online, and I see people are like, 'Oh, Jamal Murray's probably going to get suspended for throwing the heat pack,' " Green said. "I mean, I didn't think he'd get suspended, although that was very dangerous. [If] somebody steps on that, A, it leaves a wet spot, and B, can really jack somebody up.

"But, I didn't see that and be like -- my first thought wasn't, 'Ah, he gets suspended.' It's crazy how people just start automatically start calling for suspensions these days. I just don't really understand that. But, in saying that, man, Denver's down bad right now."

Green, of course, is familiar with what might warrant an NBA suspension. The Warriors veteran has six career suspensions to his name, four of which came during the 2023 calendar year across the 2023-23 and 2023-24 NBA seasons.

After the game, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch called Murray's actions "inexcusable." And on Tuesday's episode of "First Take," ESPN's Stephen A. Smith vehemently disagreed with Green -- but understood his thinking.

"I hope that he isn't suspended because I'm very fond of Jamal Murray," Smith said. "But that's not what this is about. This is about the fact that [Murray] committed an act that even Draymond Green himself concedes could have been very, very dangerous. That warrants a suspension for a game, or at the very least a very, very stiff fine.

"Now, I can understand Draymond Green, that not coming to his mind. Why would it? Of course you would feel that way. You're a player, first of all, a champion, second of all, but third and most importantly, you've had your share of suspensions and some you might have deemed unfair.

"So of course you would feel that way, but that's why you have neutral eyes looking at this, not somebody jaded by being a participant in the profession and [who] would be more prone to exercising a level of leniency towards one of their contemporaries."

As Smith stated, Green certainly isn't in charge of who does and doesn't receive NBA suspensions. But his wish was granted Tuesday afternoon, as the NBA announced Murray will be fined $100,000 and will not be suspended.

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