Perkins Blasts Draymond Green After Another Warriors Ejection

Kendrick Perkins called Draymond Green a liability.

It happened on ESPN’s First Take.

Perkins, a former NBA champion with the Boston Celtics, did not hold back.

“When was the last time we discuss Draymond and brought up his basketball and not fighting?” Perkins said.

“At some point, he has to deliver on the floor.”

“When you look at the start of the season, he has been nonexistent.”

Perkins added: “He has done absolutely nothing for the Warriors, to me.”

“He’s been a liability more than an asset.”

The comments came after Green’s ejection on Monday night against the Phoenix Suns.

It was the 31st ejection of Green’s NBA career.

The incident started when Green committed a hard foul on Suns center Khaman Maluach.

Maluach, a 20-year-old rookie, crashed to the floor under the post.

Dillon Brooks immediately ran up to Green.

Words were exchanged.

Green then grabbed Brooks by the neck of his jersey.

Both players began shoving each other.

Other players and officials separated them.

Green received two technical fouls on the same play.

The ejection was automatic.

The Warriors were trailing by seven points at the time.

Green’s teammates had to finish the game without him.

Golden State was already dealing with injuries.

Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody and Kristaps Porzingis were all sidelined to begin the season.

The Warriors had lost their first three games of the 2026-27 season.

They had won four straight before Monday night.

Against the Suns, they needed composure.

They needed their veteran defensive anchor to stay on the floor.

Instead, Green let his emotions take over.

Fortunately for Golden State, Stephen Curry and Brandin Podziemski combined for 39 points in the second half.

The Warriors won 116-113.

They extended their winning streak to five games.

But the questions about Green did not go away.

Perkins’ critique was not about Green’s scoring.

Nobody expects Draymond to average 11-15 points per game, Perkins said.

Nobody expects a DPOY-caliber performance every night.

But Green’s responsibilities go beyond numbers.

With key players injured, the least he can do is stay available.

He is supposed to help younger players through experience and basketball IQ.

This season, over six appearances, Green is averaging 3.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 0.8 steals.

Perkins said those numbers, combined with the ejections, make Green a disruptive piece.

Green has a history of on-court incidents.

He was suspended multiple times during the 2023-24 season.

He struck teammate Jordan Poole in a practice altercation before the 2022-23 season.

He has been fined and ejected repeatedly over his career.

Perkins framed it as a pattern of immaturity.

“He’s been a liability more than an asset,” Perkins repeated.

The Warriors drafted Green in 2012.

He has been a core part of four championship teams.

He won Defensive Player of the Year in 2017.

He has been named to four All-Star teams.

His intensity was once considered an edge.

Now, some analysts question whether it has become a weakness.

Perkins made clear he was not questioning Green’s past contributions.

He was questioning his current value.

“When was the last time we discuss Draymond and brought up his basketball and not fighting?” Perkins asked.

That question hung in the air.

Green has not commented publicly on Perkins’ remarks as of this writing.

The NBA reviewed the incident with Brooks.

According to multiple reports, Green will not be suspended for the altercation.

The league determined that the ejection and technical fouls were sufficient discipline.

Green is expected to play in the Warriors’ next game.

But the conversation around him is not going away.

Perkins’ words reflect a growing sentiment among some NBA observers.

At 36 years old, Green is no longer a young player learning to control his emotions.

He is a veteran on a team trying to contend.

The Warriors are paying him a significant salary.

He is in the final year of his current contract.

His future with the franchise will be a topic of discussion.

For now, Perkins’ assessment is the loudest take in the room.

“He’s been a liability more than an asset.”

The phrase is blunt.

It comes from a man who won a title and knows what championship teams need.

Perkins played 14 seasons in the NBA.

He was a starter on the 2008 Celtics championship team.

He has been an ESPN analyst since 2017.

His opinion carries weight in basketball circles.

Green has responded to critics before.