Report: Warriors' Draymond Green to Return vs. Grizzlies After 12-Game NBA Suspension

Draymond Green is reportedly back.

The Golden State Warriors forward will take the court for the first time since Dec. 12 when his team plays the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

The NBA announced on Jan. 6 that Green was reinstated from his indefinite suspension after 12 games. He was suspended after he was ejected from a Dec. 12 game against the Phoenix Suns for hitting Jusuf Nurkić in the face.

"Green completed steps that demonstrated his commitment to conforming his conduct to standards expected of NBA players," the announcement read. "He has engaged in meetings with a counselor and has met jointly on multiple occasions with representatives of the NBA, the Warriors, and the National Basketball Players Association, both of which will continue throughout the season."

It was the Michigan State product's second suspension of the season, as he was also suspended for five games in November for putting Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert into a headlock during an In-Season Tournament matchup.

After the incident with Nurkić, Green told reporters: "I don't fall to sell a call. I'm not a flopper. So I was selling the call because he was grabbing me and pulling my hip back. So I swung away, and unfortunately, I hit him."

Despite that explanation, the NBA punished him accordingly.

"This was not a sprained ankle; this was not a twisted knee," head coach Steve Kerr said of the suspension, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. "This is an issue that Draymond is trying to get help with. So space was important for him and us. We're trying to win games, and he's trying to put himself in a position to come back."

For his part, Green said he contemplated retirement when he was away and only changed his mind after a discussion with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver:

On the court, Green is a Warriors legend with a resume that includes four championships, a Defensive Player of the Year, two All-NBA selections, four All-Star nods and eight All-Defensive selections.

However, he will also be remembered for many of his suspensions and incidents, with this one being the most recent.

The most infamous one happened during the 2016 NBA Finals when he was suspended for Game 5 for making contact with LeBron James' groin area as the Cleveland Cavaliers star stepped over him in Game 4. Golden State was up 3-1 at the time of the suspension but lost Game 5 without him and then dropped the final two contests to lose the series.

Green was also fined but not suspended ahead of the 2022-23 campaign for punching then-teammate Jordan Poole during a preseason practice.

He admitted the punch disrupted Golden State's chemistry and season, which ended when it lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the playoffs. Poole was traded to the Washington Wizards ahead of the 2023-24 season.

Green has played 15 games this season and is averaging 9.7 points, 5.8 assists and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 49.0 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from deep.

The hope for the Warriors is he will return as a veteran leader who can impact the game in a number of ways while staying on the floor and avoiding any more incidents and suspensions. If he does, he can perhaps help them establish more consistency as they fight for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.