Suns, Warriors Still Trading Jabs

Jusuf Nurkic isn't holding back in this beef.

Dec 12, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) defends / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

PHOENIX -- Phoenix Suns starting C Jusuf Nurkic has an unresolved feud that has seeped into the offseason.

Nurkic and Golden State Warriors F Draymond Green are continuing to throw jabs at one another following the Green's infamous ejection in a December 12 game during the regular season - where he nearly knocked Nurkic out with a cheap shot.

Green was suspended for approximately one month, and the feud boiled over in a primetime rematch between the two squads on February 9.

The dissatisfaction from both sides continued with Nurkic deciding to throw shots at Green on X (formerly Twitter) following the Warriors' play-in exit nearly a month ago.

Things escalated once again last night when Green made an appearance on TNT's "Inside the NBA" and made another veiled jab at the starting center by saying former teammate Kevin Durant is the only real big man the Suns currently possess.

“The Suns have no big man… KD is the Suns’ big man. They got no big man," Green said.

Nurkic responded with, "I see that brother still needs help."

I see that brother still needs help.
STILL 😢 ABOUT KD, he don’t like #drayover 🤣 https://t.co/FQVwD3UfXP

— Jusuf Nurkić 🇧🇦 (@bosnianbeast27) May 14, 2024

This feud all but encapsulates the budding rivalry between the two franchises that has emerged over the last several seasons - even if Nurkic doesn't return next season.

This player-based rivalry is merely a symptom of the tension between the pair of division foes - Durant facing off against his former team and the other well-documented on-court drama between Devin Booker and Klay Thompson (among other things) have made this matchup one to watch on a yearly basis.

Both franchises will have much to prove in the upcoming season after falling far below expectations in 2023-24, and the minimum four scheduled matchups between the teams will almost certainly have raised stakes.