ESPN icon Tony Kornheiser called out NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s possible intentions for wanting Draymond Green to unretire during his recent suspension.
Korneheiser made the remarks during his usual spot on ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption alongside Michael Wilbon on Monday.
Green was indefinitely suspended after striking Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the face last month.
As a result, the four-time NBA champion was suspended 12 games.
Last week, Green was reinstated and was able to participate in Warriors team activities on Sunday.
Green revealed on his podcast that he considered walking away from the NBA during his suspension but Silver convinced him to not retire.
However, Kornheiser appeared on the hit ESPN sports debate show and shared his belief that Silver only wanted him to stay in the NBA so the Warriors could make the playoffs and boost the league’s ratings.
“It’s hard to look at this and not think Silver is doing everything in his power to get the Warriors into the playoffs, knowing that the Warriors and the Lakers are the two biggest TV draws he has,” he said.
“Both teams below .500 and battling for 10th place in the West.”
Kornheiser went on to say “it’s a weak decision” after Wilbon questioned the NBA’s reasoning to have Green return.
Green shared on his podcast his reasoning to Silver why he thought about retiring from the NBA.
“I told him, ‘Adam this is too much for me…This is too much. It’s all becoming too much for me – and I’m going to retire’,” the 33-year-old forward said.
‘And Adam said, ‘You’re making a very rash decision and I won’t let you do that.’
“We had a long, great conversation – very helpful to me.
“Very thankful to play in a league with a commissioner like Adam who’s more about helping you than hurting you; helping you than punishing you.
“He’s more about the players.”
Green shared Warriors coach Steve Kerr and star teammate Steph Curry also played a role in his return to the game.
The four-time NBA All-Star added that he was “wrong” about the incident which caused the long suspension and said it “brings pain.”
Green won’t step into game action for at least a week as he works his way into NBA game shape.
Golden State is 7-6 in Green’s absence, and are currently No. 11 in the Western Conference standings with an underwhelmin1g 17-19 record.
They are just a half-game back from the Lakers, who are 18-19 and have lost seven of their last 10 games.