Tension boiled over early in the third quarter during a Warriors timeout against the Magic, as Kerr called out the team for losing focus amid a tight 71-66 deficit.

Green, fresh off a turnover and an exchange with officials, locked horns with his coach in a heated back-and-forth that teammate Moses Moody briefly tried to defuse. Green then stormed to the locker room to regroup, skipping the rest of the game despite later returning to the bench.

Kerr confirmed postgame that Green chose to exit but made clear he had no plans to reinsert him anyway.

Key players downplay fallout

Green dismissed any lingering drama, admitting tempers flared but affirming the group would move forward united after his self-imposed cool-off. He pushed back on frustration narratives, noting he committed just one turnover while orchestrating the offense in limited minutes, despite entering the night with a league-high 4.2 miscues per 36 minutes.

Stephen Curry echoed the sentiment, crediting recent frustrations for fueling a two-game win streak and highlighting a positive locker room vibe with music pumping post-victory. Kerr reinforced Green’s value as a longtime champion essential to the squad’s identity.

Role shakeup looms for struggling Green

Green has started all 24 of his appearances this season for a middling 15-15 Warriors club, but his offensive woes raise tough questions for Kerr. Averaging a modest 8.0 points with elevated turnover rates, including stretches with more giveaways than field goals, his minutes allocation demands scrutiny as the team searches for consistency.

This incident offers Kerr a pivot point, potentially benching Green short term or reshaping his role long term to spark offensive flow without losing defensive grit. Both men signal a quick resolution, but execution on the court will ultimately test that unity.