Stu Jackson, the NBA’s former executive vice president for basketball operations under former commissioner David Stern, thinks the League made a mistake in not suspending Draymond Green for his kick to the groin of Steven Adams.
Green was instead fined $25, 000 for his actions, and Jackson wonders if favoritism is at play here.
Dahntay Jones was suspended for a game after hitting Bismack Biyombo below the belt.
Stu Jackson, former NBA Exec VP of Basketball Operations says if he was still in control, he would have suspended Draymond Green.
— Mike & Mike (@MikeAndMike) May 24, 2016
Dahtay Jones a rarely utilized reserved suspended for flail to @bismackbiyombo0 groin. Stands to reason @Money23Green kick to groin=same
— Stu Jackson (@StuJackson32) May 23, 2016
Never observed a player jump stop then have reason kick his leg upward into a groin area @NBA players are great athletes and know body moves
— Stu Jackson (@StuJackson32) May 23, 2016
The @Money23Green kick is not about judging intent. Kicking is more about whether the act was reckless and endangered a player #safetyfirst
— Stu Jackson (@StuJackson32) May 23, 2016
Per Business Insider:
“I’m looking at the [NBA’s press release] yesterday and it had all the feeling that the NBA backed into a desired outcome here, rather than arriving at a decision based upon the flagrant foul rule and the history of penalties with respect to flagrant fouls,” Jackson said. “My release would have said that it would have been upgraded to a flagrant-foul, penalty 2, and he would have received a 1-game suspension.”
When Jackson was asked if the status of the player (Green is a star) and the game (conference finals) would play a factor in the decision, he said that was not the case when he was the dean of discipline because player safety came first. However, he is not convinced the same is true under new commissioner Adam Silver and his new executive vice president of basketball operations Kiki Vandeweghe.
“Given the ruling yesterday, it leads one to believe that there’s this notion of a double-standard,” said Jackson. “If you look at contact hits throughout this playoffs … it leads you to believe that you’re getting different treatment for different players in these playoff games. That stuff concerns me.”
