OFFICIAL: Draymond Green’s return!!!
Revealing the first match welcoming him back, loyal fans of Draymond Green were extremely happy:

The Warriors and its loyal fans heard the news with great joy that Draymond Green was reinstated. With the team going through tumultuous times, his arrival couldn’t have happened at a better time. Although he practices with the team, there hasn’t been an exact timeline for active on-court presence.

But Steve Kerr has come with a recent update on the situation. Ahead of the Pelicans-Warriors matchup, Kerr had confirmed that Green wouldn’t be present for the same. Explaining further, he said, “We don’t know for sure … Whenever Rick says he is ready, we will put him in.”

Steve Kerr on when Draymond will return:

“We don’t know for sure. He won’t play tomorrow and then he’ll go to Chicago with us on Thurs and the back to back in Milwaukee, so he’ll be on that road trip. Whenever Rick says he is ready we will put him in.”

(W/@WillardAndDibs)

— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) January 10, 2024

Rick Celebrini, the Director of Sports Medicine and Performance for the Warriors, needs to give the final nod for Green to take the floor. Until then, Dray will be focusing on revamping and getting his focus on the game. And only the game. Although the counseling and suspension aim to help him deal with his struggles, ultimately, Draymond needs to make the change.

Green also knows this well. Opening up about his time during the suspension to reporters, the 4x champion showed maturity and understanding. “I think number one, it’s about … understanding your emotions. Understanding those moments. My goal is not to come back and worry about crossing the line,” he said. It is a line that his team also does not want to be worried about crossing.

Clearly, the suspension did more good than bad. This was seen from the insistence in Green’s words.

“There’s a huge sense of urgency”: Draymond Green on getting back on the floor

The suspension and the subsequent events had taken its toll on Green. So much so that he even considered retiring. If not for NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, he would have gone through with it too.

But as he confessed in his podcast, Green acknowledged that his actions didn’t only affect himself. Which is why he believes there is no time to waste in getting back on-court.

“I’m coming back from a suspension, not an injury. There’s a huge sense of urgency. I pushed it like crazy today and I’m going to push it like crazy every day until I can get back on the floor,” he stated with resolve.

The Dubs are 6-7 since Draymond’s absence, holding the 12th rank in the Western Conference with an overall record of 17-19. Their last matchup against the Raptors also ended in a 133-118 loss. So, Draymond Green’s return couldn’t have happened at a better time.

Hopefully, all the confessions, public apologies, and acknowledgments did come from a genuine place. And his team wouldn’t have to constantly worry about Green going off the kilter at any given moment.