Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr and veteran forward Draymond Green had a heated exchange during a timeout in the third quarter of Monday’s 120-97 victory over the Orlando Magic.
Draymond Green Exited Warriors Game
The lengthy quarrel caused Green to leave the bench and miss the final 20 minutes of Golden State’s home win at Chase Center. The Warriors were trailing 71-66 at the time of the feud.
Green had just committed a turnover and had been speaking with an official when Kerr called timeout because he felt his players were unfocused. That’s where the argument ensued.
“We had it out a little bit,” Kerr said. “He made his decision to go back to the locker room to cool off. That’s all I’m going to say about it. Everything is private.”
Draymond gets sent to the lockers after heated debate w coach Kerr pic.twitter.com/hJ2KRuzawX
— clipside (@shubhydoo) December 23, 2025
Per ESPN’s Anthony Slater, starting wing Moses Moody and assistant coach Jerry Stackhouse tried to calm Green. After exchanging final words with Kerr, Green stood up and walked down the tunnel to the locker room.
“Tempers spilled over, and I thought it was best that I get out of there,” Green said. “I don’t think it was a situation where it was going to get better. It was best to remove myself.”
Green spent the final 8:31 of the third quarter in the locker room.
Steve Kerr Refused To Play Green
Fellow teammates Jimmy Butler III, Al Horford, and Buddy Hield, as well as a few front office members went back to check on him. Green returned to the bench prior to the fourth quarter, but he didn’t remove his warmups and never checked back into the game, according to Slater.
Kerr said he wouldn’t have put Green back into the game.
“No,” Kerr said. “He wasn’t going back in. No. He left. He went back to the locker room. We moved forward, and the guys played great.”
It was the second straight game that Green had left early.
Steve Kerr said Draymond Green chose to go to the locker room after the two had a heated argument during an early third quarter timeout. He wasn’t sent there. Green returned to bench for fourth quarter but Kerr said he wouldn’t have gone back to Green.
Full soundbite pic.twitter.com/SPZvuqteIB
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 23, 2025
He was ejected after playing only eight minutes in Saturday’s home win over the Phoenix Suns and was only on the floor for 18 minutes before heading to the locker room Monday night.
“We need Draymond,” Kerr said. “He’s a champion. We’ve been together for a long time. “It’s unfortunate what happened, but it happened.”
After Green left, Stephen Curry bounced back from a rough first half to score 18 of his 26 points after intermission, while Jimmy Butler added 21 points.
The Warriors host the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday for a Christmas Day matinee.
