Kiki VanDeWeghe on why Draymond Green was suspended

When the NBA decided to retroactively issue a Flagrant One foul to the Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green on Sunday, it was – as Yogi Berra once said – déjà vu all over again for the league’s top disciplinarian, Kiki VanDeWeghe.

The NBA’s executive vice president of basketball operations was in a similar situation nearly three weeks ago, when Green’s kick to the groin of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Steven Adams was changed from a Flagrant One to a Flagrant Two. Yet from then until now, the consequences have grown quite substantially: because of the league’s points system in which players are allowed four flagrant foul points before being issued a one-game suspension, Green will miss Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday. And yet again, VanDeWeghe’s decision is being debated in all corners.

“I do think it’s curious how somebody who gets knocked out in the first round (of the playoffs), and who has been on vacation for seven weeks, is under the same penalty system as someone who is still playing in the Finals now,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “I’m not sure why that’s the case. It seems like a strange rule … That may be something to bring up in the offseason. It does seem a little strange.”

Draymond Green suspended for Game 5 of NBA Finals for LeBron James incident

The incident took place late in the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ win in Game 4 on Friday night in Cleveland, where they took a commanding 3-1 series lead. LeBron James and Green were tangled up during play near the top of the key, when Green was slammed to the floor. As he rose, with James stepping over him in a way that Green would later deem disrespectful, Green swung his right hand and made contact with James’ groin. He then flung his arm a second time.

VanDeWeghe discussed his reasoning with USA TODAY Sports on Sunday.

Q: Kiki, how much did Draymond’s personal history with these kinds of situations come into play?

A: “Obviously that’s something that can factor in, given the next day (of deliberating). That’s one of the advantages we have over the referees, is we can look at a lot of comparables, we can look at the history, we can look at the investigator’s reports because we have professional investigators. It’s a long process. They talk to the players. They talk to the referees in the replay center. I talk to the referees in the replay center as well.

“Again, what’s important is that this was – you look at this play on a standalone basis – other things were going on in the game, obviously – but this was viewed as a Flagrant One on its own. It wasn’t that we suspended him, it was that it triggered the suspension. And so we have our rules and our point system is in place, everybody knows it. Draymond was on notice, certainly, and certainly after the last contact to the groin with Adams, so what’s important I think is to understand that this was one point, it was viewed as a Flagrant One, and you can’t make an exception. You have to do the right thing for the play.”

Q: Was it an option for you to potentially give him an technical as opposed to a flagrant (which would not have triggered a suspension)?

A: “There’s always options, but this – really when you looked at it – was certainly unnecessary. (He) made contact to the groin in a retaliatory fashion for the stepover. So I think this met all the criteria on a Flagrant One. And although we looked at all options, this was the one, I think, that was the right one.”

Q: On the Warriors’ side, what I’ve been hearing on their side is that the idea of a prominent player missing an NBA Finals game when he was reacting to another player’s moment of frustration, someone who was the instigator with his reaction during a loss, is tough to take. How heavily did that weigh on your mind?

A: “Well obviously it weighs on your mind. We’re all aware that these are important games. But Sam, it doesn’t mean you can make an exception. That’s why the point system is in place … and unfortunately it triggered a suspension. But again, because of where we are in the (playoffs), that weighs heavily on your mind.”

Q: If he doesn’t swing a second time, are we talking about this?

A: “Really, you look at the totality of the play. But it was really the first contact with the groin that triggered the Flagrant One. That was enough right there.”