NBA Playoffs-Victor Wembanyama, Jaden McDaniels - San Antonio Spurs at Minnesota Timberwolves
Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
If the Minnesota Timberwolves can find a way to victory in Game 5 tonight against the San Antonio Spurs, down in Texas, they will have a chance to eliminate the Spurs back in Minnesota for Game 6.
But coming out of Game 4, the overarching theme was not about the Wolves’ victory, which evened the series to 2-2. Instead, everyone has been talking about the Victor Wembanyama elbow to the chin of Naz Reid, which ended in his ejection.
Early Monday, there was debate over whether or not the NBA would suspend Wemby for Game 5, maybe even beyond. As we noted in a previous article on the subject, there was precedent for the league to give him multiple games, if that’s what they had decided.
Of course, that isn’t how it went. Not only did Silver shy away from suspending Wembanyama, but he didn’t even bother fining him, which was far more surprising.
Draymond Green: MN Timberwolves should exact revenge on Victor Wembanyama
Apparently, Adam Silver decided that the three-ish quarters the French kid missed was enough punishment. Not everyone is onboard with that assessment, however.
Then Monday, after the league pardoned Wemby of all future punishment, Draymond Green talked on his podcast about how the Minnesota Timberwolves need to take the Wembanyama punishment into their own hands in Game 5, since the NBA chose not to discipline the new face of their league.
Draymond on Wemby's ejection from Game 4 for elbowing Naz Reid
“I saw Mitch Johnson's press conference, I was like 'Woah'… Jaden McDaniels and Joker just got fined for much less, I would say to the Minnesota Timberwolves 'Hey guys, this is fair game, there's no suspension,… pic.twitter.com/z1QmiSK0nP
— The Draymond Green Show (@DraymondShow) May 11, 2026
“We found out this morning Wemby won’t be suspension, will not be fined. Then, I saw Mitch Johnson’s press conference, I was like ‘Woah’… there’s intent guys.
I’m not one to ever want to see guys get suspended because I think that shit is whack. But Jaden McDaniels and Joker just got fined for much less. I would say to the Minnesota Timberwolves, ‘Hey guys, this is fair game, there’s no suspension, there’s no fines, this is fair game.
I’m coming out there tomorrow night and doing it to Wemby, who’s going to elbow him in the face? That’s what I would be saying. You’ve got to get your get-back. If nobody’s coming back at those guys, going back at Wemby, you lose the war. Cause what he just did was set a tone. You either go full-force at it, or you get rolled over.”
Draymond Green – The Draymond Green Show
Is Draymond right?
Of course, this take coming from Draymond Green is not a surprise. We all know his role with the Golden State Warriors. He’s a foxhole, ‘gotta win the mental war’ kind of player. However, this time he might have some merit to his opinion.
Maybe I have been watching too much NHL, but they aren’t the only league with a silent player code of conduct. The MLB has its own set of unwritten rules too, for example. And I don’t think Green is making the worst argument for pulling out the NBA code of ethics this time around.
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Without a doubt, Wemby should have been fined. The NBA should want to set the precedent that you cannot hurl elbows at opponents’ faces and suffer nothing more than an ejection from that contest.
And if the league doesn’t have the balls to do it… I wouldn’t be mad at the Minnesota Timberwolves if they had some sort of measured response in Game 5, as long as it doesn’t go overboard or get an important Wolves player booted from a playoff game they need to win.
Kendrick Perkins thinks MN Timberwolves should go after Wembanyama too
You can put former NBA enforcer (now ESPN analyst), Kendrick Perkins on the approval list too. He was all over ESPN Monday, campaigning for a suspension that would teach Wemby a lesson, even arguing that the 7’4″ unicorn could have killed Naz Reid had his elbow landed in a different spot.
Thus, it’s no surprise that today Perkins — a former enforcer in his own right — is in lockstep with Draymond, that it’s time for the Wolves to take matters into their own hands tonight in San Antonio, since Adam Silver let them down.
Kendrick Perkins AGREES with Draymond Green that Timberwolves players should ‘get even’ with Wemby after no suspension 👀
“I’m 1,000% in with what Draymond said. Victor Wembanyama should’ve been suspended for tonight’s game… Draymond is right. If that was the other way around… https://t.co/sTJZA2QfWH pic.twitter.com/Mrf4TrcZ84
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) May 12, 2026
“I’m 1000% in on what Draymond said. Victor Wembanyama should have been suspended for tonight’s game. Like, real talk. As a guy that led the league in technical fouls…I got suspended for a slight head butt.
This man looked [Naz Reid] in the eyes and lined him up and threw a malicious elbow, a vicious elbow. And you know what Adam Silver said to the rest of the league? We prioritize stardom and views over the health of our players.
Because Draymond is right. If that was the other way around and Naz Reid would have taken out Wemby, he would have been suspended for [Game 5]. You cannot do that. It’s about protecting the brand, not the names on the back of the jersey.”
Kendrick Perkins – Get Up (ESPN)
Mentioned in this article: Draymond Green Kendrick Perkins NBA Playoffs San Antonio Spurs Victor Wembanyama
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