Draymond Green doesn’t anticipate a technical foul suspension

The Golden State Warriors have only played 46 games. Draymond Green has only played in 33 of those games.

And yet the Warriors three-time All-Star has already picked up 12 technical fouls. That’s more than one every three games, which is quite impressive. More importantly, it’s 75% of the way to the limit for the season.

Green - and all NBA players - are allowed 16 technical fouls per season. After the 16th, each subsequent tech is accompanied by a one-game suspension. For Green, who is in the final year of a five-year, $82 million contract (his four-year extension begins next year), a single-game suspension costs him roughly $226,000. That’s a lot of dough, even for someone with plenty of zeroes in the bank account.

But Green doesn’t seem to think it will be an issue. Even though he can only get four more technicals over the remaining 36 games, the former Defensive Player of the Year is confident that he’ll stay within the confines of what’s allowed, telling reporters on Friday that he’ll make the necessary adjustments.

“Have I ever gotten suspended for technical fouls?” Green responded, when asked if he was worried about a suspension. He hasn’t, though of course he was suspended during the 2016 NBA Finals for accruing too many flagrant foul points. “Probably won’t happen again,” Green concluded.

If that seems like too much confidence, it probably isn’t. Last year Green reached the limit of 16 technical fouls with plenty of games to spare, but avoided the costly 17th. Then, in the playoffs, he reached the limit of six techs, but avoided a seventh. The year before, Green stopped at 15 technical fouls. Inching his way to the limit is kind of his thing at this point.

Asked how he avoids crossing that line, Green thought for a long time before responding, “Just know what you’re facing and you make adjustments.”

Easier said than done. But then again, Draymond seems to be a master at it.