Isaiah Stewart will miss the next three games are being punished by the NBA (Image: Getty Images)
Draymond Green was suspended for nine more games that Isaiah Stewart despite a very similar offense, but the NBA has already explained why the punishments were different

The NBA has suspended Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart for three games after he punched Phoenix Suns center Drew Eubanks before the teams played on Feb. 14.

The incident occurred hours before the game at Footprint Center in Phoenix, a game Stewart wasn’t even playing in due to an ankle injury. The center was close to a return after being out since Jan. 28, but will now have to wait after previously targeting a comeback on Thursday.

“The NBA announced today that Detroit Pistons forward-center Isaiah Stewart has been suspended three games without pay for initiating a physical altercation with Phoenix Suns forward-center Drew Eubanks on Feb. 14 before a game between the Pistons and Suns at Footprint Center in Phoenix,” The NBA wrote in a press release. “Stewart punched and pushed Eubanks during the altercation.

“Stewart will begin serving his suspension with the next NBA regular-season game that he is eligible and physically able to play, which is expected to be tonight’s game between the Pistons and Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.” Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green picked up a suspension at the end of last year after also having an altercation with a Suns player, but he was sidelined for 12 games after hitting center Jusuf Nurkic in the face.

Some fans have questioned the inconsistency in ruling for a similar offense, but the NBA stated that Green’s punishment was increased due to being a repeat offender. Stewart is only 22, and the NBA will hope that the Pistons center learns from his discipline.

Green is no stranger to being ejected and suspended in the league, but after his latest punishment, he hinted that he was a “new Draymond” after reflecting on his behavior. Green’s latest suspension which started on Dec. 12 last year was a huge wakeup call, and the veteran claimed he now knows how to apologize.

Draymond Green received a much harsher penalty, but has been warned many times ( Image: Getty Images)
On his podcast he shared a story about himself and head coach Steve Kerr, stating that they both got emotional when meeting up during his suspension period. “Coach Kerr came to visit me after shootaround and we sat in the yard, he cried, I cried,” Green revealed.

“Because there’s a bond there that… (we’ve) seen it all. Seen the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows. He said to me ‘I want you to end this the right way, I want us to end this the right way, and you’re not doing that right now. So I want you to get into the space to where you can do that, and we can do that.'”

Green listened to Kerr and did apologize publicly for his actions that hindered the Warriors while he was out. Kerr was proud of his player and made sure to let him know. “Your press conference the other day, I was proud of it,” Kerr said according to Green.

“It was so much better than your other ones. You took accountability, you apologized… you’ve apologized before, but there was always a ‘but’.”