Joe Lacob has a message for Warriors fans.

“I’ve read and heard all the things people are talking about. That we’re choosing one person over another. We’re not choosing anybody over anybody.”

The Warriors owner, of course, was referring to the one-game suspension of Draymond Green, following an ugly confrontation with Golden State teammate Kevin Durant on Monday. Insults were hurled. Feelings hurt. And when the dust cleared, it was Green who sat out a game, without pay, costing him about $120,000.

The All-Star forward plans to appeal that garnish, fueling speculation he felt the punishment was unfair. Others chimed in, saying Warriors management was simply trying to appeal to Durant, who can walk away from the best team in the world this summer if he sees fit.

It’s all made for high-stakes, high-drama theater. You could say Lacob is the producer of the show.

Lacob, who spoke to The Chronicle prior to his induction to the Bay Area Council’s Business Hall of Fame this week (alongside co-owner Peter Guber), has plenty of experience with management headaches. He’s a billionaire venture capitalist, after all. I asked him whether this was just that, a management problem.

“I think that’s exactly right. It’s totally a management issue,” said Lacob. General manager “Bob Myers and our head coach Steve Kerr are handling it. And they’re handling it very appropriately.”

But isn’t it a risky move to suspend one of the players involved, and not both? Isn’t that choosing sides?

“It never even occurred to us. That’s not the point,” said Lacob. “The point is, whether it would be any employee, they’d have to act certain ways to be our employee. Draymond knows that he went beyond — won’t say what he did, or what he said, or anything like that — he went beyond what we felt appropriate, so it didn’t matter who it was.

“And he understands that, by the way. I’ve been texting with him, and he totally gets it. I do have a great relationship with him, and I still do.”

It remains to be seen how this rift will play out in the locker room, on the court this season and at the negotiating table this summer. The Warriors will have to address contract status with Klay Thompson and Durant this summer, and with Green next summer. That’s a high number, whomever you sign.

But Lacob sees all this as regular business. Common friction that one simply manages, then moves on.

“Any company. Every company. It’s no different than any other company. We all, including me, have to be held accountable how we represent the organization, the NBA, and it’s as simple as that,” said Lacob. “That’s for our coach and our GM to deal with. I’m sure (Durant and Green will) act professionally going forward. … I’m really not worried at all.”

Lacob seemed supremely confident on that point. And that makes sense for a self-made billionaire who has turned a laughingstock organization into the pride of all professional sports. He tends to get things done, one way or another.

But the players and the fans and the media, for that matter, seem to be less confident. There’s a wrinkle in the Warriors’ vortex, and we’re not sure when or if it will be ironed out.

As Warriors beat writer Connor Letourneau pointed out, two-time MVP Stephen Curry will play a huge role in terms of leadership and peacemaking. Thompson provides another powerful buffer. Kerr is the best in the business. But it will come down to whether Durant forgives Green for his indiscretions. Whether Green forgives Durant for calling him out in the first place. Whether Green forgives the organization for punishing him publicly.

“I don’t think there’s any reason to feel uneasy. We’re in first place,” said Lacob, doubling down on his message of calm. “When you’re on top, everyone’s coming to get you. Not only on the court, but off the court. We understand that. All we can control is how we act and what we do. What reporters write is not really relevant, to be honest.”

(Ummm ... I’ll leave that sit.)

“I think the media has been fair … given what they know, which is never all the details, of course, and nor should they,” Lacob continued. “I understand everything’s under scrutiny. And everything gets a lot of attention. That goes with the territory of who we are, of what we’ve done and where we’re going. We get that. I have no problem with it.”

We closed our conversation with the biggest issue this whole dustup has uncovered. Is this the last straw for KD? Has he had enough of Draymond’s drama? I toured the team’s new arena with Durant the week before last — just three days before the confrontation exploded in Los Angeles. He seemed to love Chase Center, which will open in San Francisco next fall. I asked Lacob whether that could sway Durant’s thinking on staying with the team.

“Yeah, he said it was great. Loved it,” said Lacob. “I have no idea. He’s earned the right to be a free agent. I’ve said this a million times. He will make whatever decision is best for him. It’s our job to present (Durant) with an opportunity that we think is great to be in our organization. Of course, I’d like him to be in our organization long term. But if he wants to short term, year-by-year, which he’s done so far, that’s also fine.

“That’s his choice. He’s earned the right. We respect it. I think he really loves it here. And we love him.”

Message sent.

Al Saracevic is Sports Editor of The San Francisco Chronicle. Email: asaracevic@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @alsaracevic