Draymond Green insinuates Moussa Diabate didn’t want a fight with Jalen Duren

Draymond Green weighed recent feud between Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabate and Detroit Pistons center Jalen Durensuggesting Diabate he had no intention of fighting during the conflict on the ground.

Speaking on the latest episode of The Draymond Green Show, v Golden State Warriors the veteran questioned Diabate’s actions during a sequence that led to multiple suspensions.

“He was crushed, and then he kept acting like he wanted to go at Jalen Duren, but when he went at Jalen Duren, people were kind of holding him back, but they weren’t really holding him back,” Green said. “So if he wanted to get to Jalen Duren, he could get to Jalen Duren. He wasn’t really trying to get there. It was along the baseline. As it spilled down the sideline, he kept trying to get to Jalen Duren. And he didn’t necessarily want to get there, but he acted like he was trying to get there. And it’s probably going to be very interesting because he’s probably going to be suspended come the game. Honestly, he didn’t do much.”

The incident happened during Monday night’s game between Charlotte and Detroit, when tensions escalated after a physical exchange between Diabate and Duren. After being shoved in the face, Diabate appeared to react as players from both teams converged near the baseline.

An overhead broadcast angle later showed Diabate threw at least one punch at Duren and attempted another before he was restrained. The fight escalated when Hornets forward Miles Bridges entered the fray and punched Duren, prompting Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart to leave the bench area and confront Bridges.

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Draymond Green reacts to Moussa Diabate, Miles Bridges suspensions

Green also addressed Diabatte’s basketball background at Michigan, noting that Bridges, a Michigan State product, stood up for his Hornets teammate during an altercation.

The The NBA subsequently suspended all four players. Diabate and Bridges received suspensions of four games each. Duren was suspended for two games and Stewart was given seven games for leaving the bench and escalating the conflict.

Despite the controversy, Diabate has been a key contributor to Charlotte’s recent surge. The 24-year-old center has helped the Hornets to a 15-9 record in games he has started this season. In 50 appearances, he is averaging a career-high 8.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting 63.2% from the field in 25.2 minutes per game.

Charlotte (25-29) currently sits in 10th place in the Eastern Conference standings as it looks to regain momentum after ending a nine-game winning streak. The Hornets are scheduled to face the Atlanta Hawks (26-29) on Wednesday at 7:00 PM ET before the league begins for 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.

Green’s comments add another layer to an incident that has already drawn league discipline as Charlotte tries to move forward during a crucial part of the season.