Shocking video of the practice altercation between Warriors forward Draymond Green and guard Jordan Poole was leaked by TMZ Sports on Friday morning, causing a wave of reactions from around the NBA.
The clip appears to show the two teammates exchanging words before Green slowly begins walking towards Poole. Though it’s unclear exactly what was said, Poole pushes Green after the two come face-to-face, prompting the veteran forward to respond by punching Poole in the head and attempting to take him to the ground. Members of the team and the training staff eventually came in to separate the two players.
Golden State was already considering a punishment for Green prior to the leaked video. However, the discipline was unlikely to lead to the four-time All-Star missing games as the forward was expected to return to the team this weekend.
The video’s emergence made quite a stir on social media Friday morning, as a number of current and former players weighed in on the situation. While some discussed the actual events of the scuffle, others noted their surprise about the clip leaking in the first place.
According to a report by Chris Haynes, the altercation between the two teammates was building up over the summer as the team noticed Poole’s behavior change on the verge of a big contract extension. Poole is on the final year of his rookie contract, while Green has two years left on his deal with the team.
Warriors veterans Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala have pushed back on Haynes’s report, and general manager Bob Myers denied that Poole and Green’s contract situations played into the incident.
Neither Green nor Poole has addressed the altercation as of Friday.
More NBA Coverage:
For more Golden State Warriors coverage, go to Inside The Warriors
