Draymond doc prolongs discussion Warriors wish would end

SAN FRANCISCO – The Warriors are hoping, wishing, the punch Draymond Green landed to the face of young Warriors teammate Jordan Poole 15 days ago will fade under a succession of victories with no sign of internal friction.

And, sure, it could fade if the Warriors are patient and successful and are displaying sufficient joy and esprit de corps.

But more than two weeks later, the incident still has a pulse.

TNT pumped new life into the subject by releasing a documentary featuring Draymond on Tuesday, a few hours before the Warriors tipped off the 2022-23 season against the Lakers. A significant portion of the 21-minute doc addresses the violent moment that has generated curiosity and intrigue around the Warriors’ prospects for this season.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Thursday after practice that he knew nothing about the doc, in which Draymond addresses the episode publicly for at least the third time.

“I didn’t see it,” Kerr said.

Team leader Stephen Curry, shortly afterward, said he hasn’t seen it either and, therefore, could not comment on whether it might impact locker-room chemistry.

“I honestly haven’t seen it,” he said, “so I don’t know.”

What’s clear is that neither has much desire to see more infotainment on a few ugly seconds they’d rather did not exist. If there were a way for the entire matter to be de-publicized, they would have done so on the evening of Oct. 5, hours after it happened.

But, no, it lives on.

The 21-minute documentary, produced by Green in conjunction with Warner Bros. Discovery and Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions, was completed during the seven days the Warriors and Draymond decided – by “mutual decision” – to avoid each other. Green also was fined an undisclosed amount for slugging his teammate.

The doc attempts to put Draymond in a fairer light while also providing him an outlet to influence ongoing reaction.

Green downplays the incident with Poole, saying he “never knew” the impact of the TMZ video showing him punching his teammate because he didn’t pay much attention to the reaction, that he was “just at home chilling with my children.”

While apologizing profusely during a news conference three days after the incident, Draymond said that he had seen the video maybe “15 times.”

Green at the time seemed regretful about his actions and horrified by public reaction. He described himself on Oct. 5 as “a very flawed human being” saying that he needed time away to work on himself.

To become a better man, which obviously would translate into a better teammate.

The documentary, however, projected no real contrition.

“I was told, the world has been able to see one of your worst moments,” Green said to the camera. “Look at all the upside you have now, and it’s a totally different way of looking at it. The world has seen one of your worst moments. Look at the upside. And I can live with that.”

Though the story about the practice skirmish broke early in the evening of Oct. 5, it gained genuine momentum when TMZ obtained and released the video the following day. Green shocked not only the entire team but also – the global basketball community.

Upon his return to the team on Oct. 13, Green seemed eager to move beyond penance following the worst moment of his 11-year career. He vowed to exude professionalism in helping the Warriors pursue a second consecutive NBA championship.

It seemed he really wanted to close the book on the issue.

And then, five days later, the documentary featuring Green reliving the incident is released. The Warriors can’t be any more pleased about the story’s staying power than they are that it ever became public.

“He’s been in production with the new media stuff and I’m sure that’s not going to end,” Curry said of his longtime teammate. “But, hopefully, everything is in light of trying to protect the team and make it about what we’re trying to do on the floor as the priority.”

RELATED: Klay emphatically refutes report of possible 2024 retirement

The Warriors have 81 regular season games remaining on their schedule, and they anticipate an extended postseason – which still is entirely possible.

But the waves of Oct. 5 have yet to ebb. The boat continues to rock, at least a bit.

Being reminded of such an inglorious moment doesn’t make it worse for the Warriors, but it surely doesn’t aid any chance to accelerate healing.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast