The NBA Reportedly Won’t Make Draymond Green Miss The Trophy Presentation If The Warriors Win Game 5

If the Golden State Warriors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night, they’ll win the NBA championship for the second consecutive season. And if they do, the whole team will be celebrating — even those players who aren’t allowed inside Oracle Arena during the game.

Draymond Green has been suspended for Game 5 after his groin hit on LeBron James during an altercation in Game 4 was retroactively upgraded to a Flagrant 1. By rule, being suspended means Green isn’t allowed anywhere in the arena during the game.

According to the NBA’s rulebook, showing up to a game for which you’re suspended results in an automatic $2,000 fine, although it would probably be more if a player actually tried it during a Finals game:

If a player, coach or assistant coach is suspended from a game or games, he shall not at any time before, during or after such game or games appear in any part of the arena or stands where his team is playing. A player, coach or assistant coach who is ejected may only remain in the dressing room of his team during the remainder of the game, or leave the building. A violation of this rule shall call for an automatic fine of $2,000.

However, CBS Sports’ Ken Berger is reporting that this is a rule the league isn’t inclined to enforce too strictly, and Green would likely be allowed to celebrate with the team if they win the championship on Monday.

What’s unclear is how this will work logistically. Will Green be allowed to stay if he just shows up to the game, sits in the seats and agrees to pay a fine? Will he watch it from the locker room and come out for the trophy presentation? Will he descend from the rafters, WWE-style, to accept the Finals MVP trophy from Adam Silver? Anything is possible.

UPDATE:

Marc J. Spears of ESPN’s The Undefeated, has the answers: