Draymond Green Thinks Nikola Jokic Had a Hidden Motive in McDaniels Confrontation
Draymond Green believes Nikola Jokic's heated confrontation with Jaden McDaniels may not have been just a simple case of frustration boiling over. According to Green, there could have been a hidden motive behind Jokic's reaction, with the Nuggets star possibly trying to bait McDaniels into making a costly mistake. The incident happened in the final seconds of Minnesota's 112-96 win, when McDaniels went in for an uncontested layup with 1.3 seconds left instead of letting the clock run out.
Jokic, who was standing near half-court expecting the game to end quietly, clearly did not appreciate the late bucket. He walked over to confront McDaniels in front of the Timberwolves' bench, and within seconds, the situation turned into a shoving match that got Jokic ejected.
Green who knows a thing or two about confrontations on the court in the latest episode of his show, ‘The Draymond Green Show' shared his thoughts on the confrontation and Jokic's thinking behind it.
Draymond on Jaden McDaniels/Nikola Jokic altercation
— The Draymond Green Show (@DraymondShow) April 28, 2026
"What I think Joker was trying to do is he was trying to get Jaden McDaniels to react the wrong way so that Jaden McDaniels could get thrown out of the next game, it was a mental play by Joker." pic.twitter.com/kVch3PGynp
He said, "What I think Joker was trying to do is he was trying to get Jaden McDaniels to react the wrong way so that Jaden McDaniels could get thrown out of the next game, it was a mental play by Joker."
Nikola Jokic Avoids Game Suspensions After NBA Decision
Nikola Jokic will have to pay $50,000, while Julius Randle was hit with a $35,000 fine for their involvement in the late-game scuffle. For Denver and Minnesota, that outcome is probably a relief. With Game 5 already happening at the time of writing, losing a key player for even one night would have been a much bigger deal than a financial penalty.
Jokic did not exactly walk back what happened afterward. His issue was with the way the final possession was handled. From his perspective, the game was over, everyone had eased up, and McDaniels still chose to add one more basket. Jokic clearly saw that as unnecessary, and his reaction showed it.
McDaniels seemed far less caught up in the details of the exchange. When asked about what Jokic said during the confrontation, he basically admitted he could not make out the words. What stood out to him more was the sight of Jokic coming toward him.
Randle's punishment came from how quickly he got involved once the crowd formed. He pushed his way into the situation and made things more heated, which likely explains why the league included him in the discipline.
There was also some concern that other players could be punished for stepping away from the bench, but the NBA chose not to go that far.
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This story was originally published April 27, 2026 at 10:11 PM.