Draymond Green Suggests Knicks Star Skipped Game Over Rivalry, Not Family Tragedy

Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks missed a game earlier this week, with the team citing "personal reasons" for his absence. As the story unfolded, it was revealed that the tragic death of a close friend of his girlfriend, Jordyn Woods, due to breast cancer was the cause. Towns took two days off to attend funeral services before returning to the court.

However, Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green hinted there might have been another reason for Towns' absence. During his podcast, Green suggested he had heard rumors that Towns skipped the game to avoid facing Jimmy Butler, his former teammate, who was playing with the Warriors that night. "Some would say he didn’t play because Jimmy was in the building," Green remarked. "You know him and Jimmy had the infamous practice in Minnesota." That reference, of course, harks back to the infamous 2018 Timberwolves practice, where Butler's fiery attitude sparked lasting tension with Towns.

For what it’s worth, Towns has faced Butler before without hesitation. Earlier this season, playing against Butler when he was with the Miami Heat, Towns dropped an impressive 44 points. So, the claim that he might duck a matchup now seems a bit far-fetched.

Addressing the speculation after the Warriors defeated Brooklyn 121-119 on Thursday, Green appeared to backpedal. Upon learning the actual reason for Towns' absence, Green offered his condolences, saying, "That’s unfortunate, I’m sorry to hear that. That sucks." Yet, he couldn’t resist adding a touch of bravado: "But the ‘Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis’ must go on." Never change, Draymond.

In his first game back after the funeral, Towns struggled on the court, scoring only 12 points on 3-for-13 shooting against Los Angeles—a notable dip from his season average. Grief and basketball are hard to balance, and this game clearly reflected the toll personal loss can take.