NBA Notes: Warriors, Draymond Green, Cameron Payne, Hawks, N’Faly Dante

Warriors

The Warriors got back to even ground Monday night, blowing out Orlando by 23 to climb to 15-15. On the surface, it was exactly what they needed.

Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler did their part, combining for 47 points. That’s the formula. That’s the vision.

And then came the timeout.

A heated third-quarter exchange between coach Steve Kerr and Draymond Green spilled into public view, ending with Green leaving the court and sitting out the final 20 minutes. Kerr said they “had it out.” Green said it was best to remove himself, via Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area.

Both can be true.

Green eventually returned to the bench, checked on by teammates, but never reentered. Kerr said the thought never crossed his mind. The team moved on. And it won anyway.

Green’s recent turnover issues haven’t helped matters, but Kerr made it clear afterward that the Warriors still need him. Green, meanwhile, downplayed the moment.

“We’ve been at this for a long time,” he said. “Stuff happens.”

International

Veteran guard Cameron Payne is taking his game abroad.

Payne signed a rest-of-season deal with KK Partizan, ending a lengthy free-agent stretch that followed an unremarkable preseason stint with Indiana.

A decade into his career, Payne has logged nearly 500 NBA games across seven teams, most recently with New York. He waited. Nothing materialized. Eventually, the phone stopped ringing.

Now he joins a Partizan roster loaded with former NBA names, including Jabari Parker and Sterling Brown. 

Hawks

The Hawks suffered another back-of-the-roster hit.

Center N’Faly Dante tore the ACL in his right knee while playing for College Park at the G League Winter Showcase and will miss the rest of the season. Surgery is scheduled for January.

The injury came just as Dante was returning from concussion protocol, a tough turn in what’s been a stop-start year. He appeared in only eight total games between Atlanta and College Park.

The injury guarantees his full salary for the season, but the Hawks’ potential disabled player exception would be modest, limiting any real roster flexibility.

It’s the third season-ending injury at the end of Atlanta’s bench this month. Bad breaks, stacked up. And for Dante, another long road back begins.