Steve Kerr gives his honest opinion on what must change with the Golden State Warriors.
Steve Kerr will be returning for his 13th season behind the bench for the Golden State Warriors after signing a two-year extension in the offseason.
Kerr widely considered to be the greatest coach of this era, winning four championships on top of two other Finals appearances.
Despite his overall success with the team, there have been struggles, especially over the past four seasons. The Warriors have made the playoffs just twice in the last four years, winning one playoff round each time. They have outright missed the playoffs in two of the last three seasons, including this past year.
The Warriors still have Steph Curry and Draymond Green on the roster, and were looking competitive with Jimmy Butler as the final piece of the puzzle before he tore his ACL in January.
Butler's injury, combined with Curry being injured weeks later, saw the Warriors slip to 10th in the West and ultimately miss the playoffs after losing to the Phoenix Suns in the second play-in game.
Steve Kerr Speaks
Speaking at a press conference, Kerr addressed what must change as he returned for his 13th season.
“I know I have to be better. I didn’t have a great coaching year. We got a little too loose. I gotta tighten the ship up," he said.
Kerr admitted that for the first time since the injury-plagued year in 2019-20, he knows the team isn't quite in a position to win a championship.
Kerr has come under criticism for some of his rotation choices and how the team plays when Curry is on the bench or unable to play.
Kerr's motion offense and how he's utilized Curry off the ball was a revolution in the NBA and has been duplicated by many teams as three-point shooting has increased across the league.
Addressing Needs
Unless something changes, Curry will be back for another season for the Warriors. Butler remains under contract, but depending on his rehab situation, the Warriors might look to move his deal to get more immediate help.
Draymond has a player option and it is unclear if he will opt in or potentially restructure his deal to give the team more flexibility.
The Warriors traded Jonathan Kuminga for Kristaps Porzingis, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent.
The team was reportedly looking to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo at the trade deadline, and are expected to circle back on Giannis talks, and potentially get in on LeBron James talks should he or the Los Angeles Lakers decide to move on.
The Warriors also have the 11th pick in a deep draft, and could find immediate help there, whether they make a pick or use the pick as part of a bigger trade.