Draymond Green said leaving the court during a heated clash with Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr felt like the safest choice, after an argument on the bench overshadowed a 120-97 victory over the Orlando Magic and raised fresh questions about the pair’s long-running partnership.
Kerr confirmed Green was never considered for a return to the game after the outburst. The forward later came back to the bench area but stayed on the sidelines, while other Warriors players closed out the win that lifted the mood inside Chase Center.
The flashpoint developed in the third quarter with the Warriors trailing 71-66. Green had just turned the ball over, and Kerr immediately called a timeout. Green had already argued with an official earlier in the night,
and the emotions then spilled over during the break in play.
Green described the decision to walk away from the situation as a personal choice taken to prevent further escalation. "Tempers spilled over, and I thought it was best that I get out of there," said Green, who was calmed by teammate Moses Moody and assistant coach Jerry Stackhouse. "I don’t think it was a situation where it was going to get better. It was best to remove myself. "
Kerr kept his public comments brief regarding the sideline dispute. "We had it out a little bit. 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. " Kerr then turned his focus to the players who finished the contest.
Key numbers from the Warriors’ win over the Magic are shown below, reflecting the comfortable margin that followed the clash between Draymond Green and Steve Kerr and the adjustments made after the timeout.
| Team | Points |
|---|---|
| Golden State Warriors | 120 |
| Orlando Magic | 97 |
Kerr later made clear that Green’s early exit from the floor effectively ended the forward’s night. "He wasn’t going back in. No. He left," said Kerr. "He went back to the locker room. We moved forward, and the guys played great. We need Draymond. He’s a champion. We’ve been together for a long time. It’s unfortunate what happened, but it happened. "
The energy was electric all night @MichelobULTRA || Joy Cam pic.twitter.com/jWxyK3K5rSGolden State Warriors (@warriors) December 23, 2025
Draymond Green and Steve Kerr long-term relationship
The incident added another chapter to a relationship that has lasted 12 seasons between Draymond Green and Steve Kerr. Green said there had been no conversation with Kerr since leaving the court, but the forward expected both to move past the matter based on their long shared history with the Warriors.
Green rejected any idea that frustration over performance caused the argument. "I’m not frustrated at all," Green said. "I had one turnover today. I had the ball the whole time I was in the game. I know how to fix problems when they’re a problem. I had one turnover in my minutes. I essentially ran our offense. "
Green also pointed to familiarity as a factor in such flare-ups with Steve Kerr. "We’ve been at this now for a long time. Sometimes you’re with people for a long time and there’s a level of comfort and s*** happens. We move forward. " The forward’s comments underlined a belief that the relationship could absorb another dispute.
Draymond Green and Steve Kerr reaction inside Warriors locker room
Stephen Curry, who scored 26 points, highlighted how the dressing room mood differed from the outside focus on the clash between Draymond Green and Steve Kerr. "The questions are a little bit more negative than they should be. I get why you’re asking them, but downstairs right now, the DJ has a good playlist going, the guys are getting their work in and we’re having a good time because we’re winning. "
The Warriors left the arena with a comfortable win, yet also with another testing moment between Draymond Green and Steve Kerr to address. Both figures stressed moving on, while teammates delivered on court, leaving the team balancing internal tensions with the need to maintain form across a long NBA season.
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