Has the NBA suspended anyone indefinitely before? Closer look as league suspends Draymond Green for punching Jusuf Nurkic 

In a rare occurrence, the NBA suspended Golden State Warriors veteran forward Draymond Green indefinitely on Wednesday. The league is typically definitive regarding suspension timelines. However, given the unique circumstances surrounding Green, the league opted to crack down hard on the four-time NBA champion.

Green’s indefinite suspension is for striking Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the face. The altercation occurred with 8:23 remaining in the third quarter of the Warriors’ 119-116 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.

Green was ejected on the play after receiving a Flagrant Foul 2, with many expecting a suspension to follow. Given the former Defensive Player of the Year’s history of controversial ejections and suspensions, the league office deemed that an indefinite suspension was necessary.

Following the news of Green’s suspension, many were curious if the NBA had suspended a player indefinitely before. The most prominent example came when former NBA commissioner David Stern suspended then-Washington Wizards star point guard Gilbert Arenas indefinitely on Jan. 6, 2010.

Arenas was suspended indefinitely after he brought a gun into the Wizards’ locker room to settle a gambling dispute with teammate Javaris Crittenton. He later made light of the incident and Stern concluded that the star guard was not fit to take the court.

“Although it is clear that the actions of Mr. Arenas will ultimately result in a substantial suspension, and perhaps worse, his ongoing conduct has led me to conclude that he is not currently fit to take the court in an NBA game. Accordingly, I am suspending Mr. Arenas indefinitely, without pay, effective immediately pending the completion of the investigation by the NBA,” Stern said in a statement.

Arenas’s indefinite suspension was later converted into a 50-game suspension for “storing an unloaded firearm in his locker.”

Another example of a player being suspended indefinitely by the NBA is former Charlotte Hornets guard Malik Monk. Monk was suspended on an indefinite basis on Feb. 26, 2020, for violating the NBA's Anti-Drug Program. However, he was later re-instated on June 8, ultimately missing just eight games due to the COVID-19-shortened season.

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How much time could Draymond Green miss after being suspended indefinitely?

According to the NBA, Draymond Green’s latest suspension will begin immediately. The definition of indefinite is “lasting for an unknown or unstated length of time.” So, the exact length of his suspension is unknown for now.

However, the NBA said in its statement that Green “will be required to meet certain league and team conditions before he returns to play.”

It’s unclear what conditions Green will have to meet to be re-instated by the league. However, he will likely have to prove to the NBA and Golden State that he is capable of returning without causing any future distractions.

Through 15 games, Green is averaging 9.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.7 blocks and 1.2 3-pointers per game on 49.0% shooting.

The Warriors (10-13) are 7-8 with Green and 3-5 without him.

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