Golden State Warriors player Draymond Green is facing discipline from the NBA for recent comments he made about a fellow player. He appeared on TNT as an analyst and spoke about the Phoenix Suns and Devin Booker. Green praised the team’s undefeated start but called for Booker to get out of Phoenix.
“It’s not good for him. It’s not good for his career,” Green said, per ESPN. “[…]They gotta get Book out of Phoenix. I need my man to go somewhere where he can play great basketball all the time and win, because he’s that type of player.” TNT’s Ernie Johnson asked the Golden State Warriors player if he thought the comments could be tampering, and Green simply responded by saying “maybe.”
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The NBA clearly thought the comments were tampering and responded with a large fine. The league docked Green $50,000 after tightening its rules about tampering. The Phoenix Suns also responded with a joking tweet, posting that “We’ve got at least 50(k) reasons why we love” Booker.
The Phoenix Suns are currently fighting for the final spot in the Western Conference playoffs. The team started the altered bubble schedule 5-0 while trying to leapfrog the Portland Trail Blazers, Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs. Booker has been a big part of the team’s success while leading the roster in scoring with 26.4 points per game.
While Green wants Booker out of Phoenix in the near future, this may not take place. The star player is under contract through the 2023-24 season. He previously signed a five-year, $158 million extension in July 2018. At the time, this deal made Booker the highest-paid player in franchise history with estimated salaries of $27.2 million in 2019-20; $29.4 million in 2020-21; $31.6 million in 2021-22; $33.7 million in 2022-23 and $35.9 million in 2023-2024.
“We are thrilled to announce this contract extension with Devin,” general manager Ryan McDonough said in a statement when Booker signed the extension. “Book has been a pillar for the Suns franchise ever since he arrived in Phoenix in 2015. Devin and the team both wanted to extend his agreement with the club as long as we possibly could. This agreement reflects a commitment from both parties to the Phoenix community, the state of Arizona and Suns fans worldwide.”
The former first-round pick by the Suns also spoke about his love of the team and his willingness to remain in the area for his entire career. He said that the organization welcomed him with open arms and that he had even purchased a home. Green may want Booker out of Phoenix, but the young star may not have the same desire.
