JTA gives unique perspective on Draymond-Poole altercation originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Even though Juan Toscano-Anderson is rocking a Los Angeles Lakers jersey these days, the 29-year-old forward will forever have a special tight-knit relationship with the Warriors.
A native of the Bay and member of the Warriors from 2020 to 2022, Toscano-Anderson grew close to his teammates and won a dream-come-true championship with his hometown team last season.
So when he learned about the altercation between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole earlier this month and all the negativity it was drawing, Toscano-Anderson was a bit thrown off.
“I don’t know all the details to the situation, (but) what I do know is that I have two brothers, and me and my brothers fight all the time,” Toscano-Anderson told The Athletic. “And we love each other thereafter. Like, that’s what happens. … And that’s just normal. So I fight with my blood brothers. Me and Draymond are like brothers. Me and Draymond have bumped heads a few times, but we figured it out thereafter.”
Even after moving to LA, Toscano-Anderson said he speaks with Green almost every day.
And while Green has notoriously maintained a villain role throughout his years in the NBA, Toscano-Anderson believes people are making this incident a bigger deal than it is because of Green’s history.
“The vast majority of the public is trying to paint Draymond out to be this f–king menace, and he’s not, Toscano-Anderson said. “That’s the part that I don’t appreciate. I think they should grant him a little bit more mercy. You know, he made a mistake, obviously. Obviously, it’s work and you shouldn’t be fighting at work. But you know, it’s a basketball team, bro. It’s a brotherhood. That’s how you figure s–t out. People fight, bro. It’s kind of normal.”
Green apologized. Poole accepted it. The Warriors are ready to move on.
And as the 2022-23 NBA season is here, there’s only one thing on Golden State’s mind: Winning another championship. However, many are skeptical about whether the scuffle could interfere with the team’s goal.
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But Toscano-Anderson has good reason to believe it won’t.
“We could sit here and hypothetically say, ‘This could be something that could derail them.’ But me knowing those guys, knowing the experience and the professionalism that they have, I just think this is just a minor…something for people to talk about for a few weeks and they’ll figure it out and get over it,” he said.
“They’ve got a hell of a team over there. They’ve got culture. They’ve got camaraderie. I mean, they’re so deep in, man. They’ve been together for 10 years, some of those guys. I think they’ll figure it out.”
Toscano-Anderson signed a one-year deal with the Lakers this offseason.
His life will take a full circle on Tuesday night when he returns to Chase Center as his former team hosts his current for opening night and will receive his championship ring from last season’s NBA Finals win.
While he’s excited for the ceremony, he’s more excited to beat the Warriors in a Lakers uniform.
“Yeah, I want to talk my s–t,” he said with a smile.