The Golden State Warriors‘ play-in exit was a harsh reminder that all good things come to an end.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who was part of different NBA dynasties as a player, is coming to grips with that reality as a coach and sent a message to his core players on how he wanted their dynasty to end.
“There’s no recipe for how to end it,” Kerr said on the “Audacy’s The TK Show” on April 25. “These things all end however they end. In the Bulls’ case, it was ‘Alright, everybody’s a free agent, see ya later,’ and it was over. In San Antonio’s case, they found a way to revive it, win another title, and then guys ended up retiring and now they’ve been in a situation where they haven’t made the playoffs in a few years.
So you can describe it however you want. I think what’s important to me is that our guys do it the right way. With dignity. With grace.”
Kerr was a member of the Chicago Bulls‘ second three-peat team from 1996 to 1998 at the tailend of their dynasty. Then he won another two titles with the San Antonio Spurs at the beginning of their dynasty bridging the 90s and 2000s.
Steve Kerr’s Tough Conversations with Draymond Green
The Warriors’ unraveling these past two seasons following their last title run — their fourth since 2015 — in 2022 was largely fueled by Draymond Green‘s volatility.
Green’s punching of Poole fractured the team’s chemistry which led to a second-round exit in 2023. This year, Green’s two separate lengthy suspensions due to his chokehold of Rudy Gobert and striking Jusuf Nurkic in the face kept the Warriors from building continuity.
It went against Kerr’s principles to play the right way and with dignity as their championship window is rapidly closing.
“I understand that we haven’t always done that,” Kerr said. “There have been moments where – with Draymond, the incident with Jordan (Poole) last year. That’s not dignified. Obviously. The stuff that happened early in the season.
So a part of my conversations with Draymond were, ‘You owe it to yourself but also to the franchise to do this the right way. To go out competing as best you can. Be the best version of yourself. Lead the younger guys. Teach them what being a pro is about.’ And he responded beautifully. In the whole second half of the season, I thought he was amazing. I thought he played well. I thought he handled himself well. Took on a leadership role. And it was fun to watch.”
Steve Kerr Still Hopes for Last Hurrah With Warriors Dynasty Core
Despite the disappointing end to the most challenging season of his coaching career, Kerr is still hoping this was not the end of the Warriors dynasty they try to maximize Stephen Curry‘s prime years.
“Yeah, we didn’t [make the playoffs], and that’s part of it,” Kerr said. “But I’m really proud of the ways Draymond and Klay handled themselves in the second half. I’m proud of the team for making the push they did, but this is the reality of father time catching up, and this is the way pro sports works. Whether it’s the end of our run or whether we have a little bit of time left – which we’re hoping – we are where we are and not much is going to change that.”
While Kerr and the Warriors are hoping to for one last hurrah, circumstances might now allow it.
The new prohibitive CBA has put the Warriors in a bind, creating financial constraints on an expensive roster that have not contend for a title over the last two years.
On top of their summer priorities are tough decisions on Klay Thompson, who is set to hit free agency and Chris Paul, who has $30 million team option. And then rising star Jonathan Kuminga is due for an extension.
