Steph, Draymond, Kerr have discussed Warriors’ reality together originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
If the Warriors can figure things out and make a run for the playoffs, it would be a great thing. But three key figures in the team’s foundation aren’t willing to sacrifice the team’s future for the sake of immediate playoff success.
After Golden State stars Steph Curry and Draymond Green recently explained why they don’t think the Warriors, who are currently one game below .500, should make a desperate trade, Steve Kerr shared that this has been a topic of conversation among the three of them.
“We’ve talked about this,” Kerr told 95.7 The Game’s “Willard and Dibs” on Tuesday. “The three of us have been together for so long. We have these types of conversations, and so, yes, we’ve discussed it. I’m really impressed with these guys and how much they care about the Warriors and the team’s future.
And you’re right, a lot of players in their situation might say, ‘Forget the future, let’s trade everything and see what happens.’
“That’s not who they are, and part of that is because they’re Warriors for life. It’s like how Dirk Nowitzki watches Dallas games from the sidelines like a fan, and that’s really cool. I think that’s how Steph and Draymond will be once they retire. They’ll be Warriors fans. They want the best for the team’s future, and they’re thinking clearly about this.”
After the Warriors gave the Toronto Raptors their second win in 18 games on Monday night, Curry told reporters the Warriors shouldn’t make a “desperate” trade. Last week in Detroit, Green told Yahoo Sports’ Vince Goodwill that trading away the future for one last shot at a championship is something “bad teams” do.
Curry, Green, and Kerr are all on the same page.
“We’re in a very unique and tough situation, but it’s no one’s fault,” Kerr said. “This is just the reality of sports and life. We had this amazing run, and now we’re at the end of it, trying to hold on. And we know it’s a young man’s game.
We were the rising team 10 years ago, like Oklahoma City and Houston. Now, we’re on the decline. We know that. We’ve all talked about it. It would be so irresponsible for the franchise to trade everything for one last shot at a title.
“You have to know your position as a team. You have to understand where the rest of the league stands. And in my opinion, and I think Mike’s, Steph’s, and Draymond’s, now is not the time to bet everything on one big gamble.
That would be irresponsible. So, we know where we stand, which is in the middle of the pack, with a bunch of teams who are either good enough or not good enough. We need to figure out if we are. And being good enough means can we make it to the playoffs and give ourselves a chance? That’s what we’re trying to do.”
As the 2024-25 NBA season reaches its halfway point, the Warriors are still searching for a winning formula. Kerr took responsibility for the team’s struggles after their loss in Toronto on Monday, and the on-court results show that only a major trade would likely push the Warriors back to the top.
However, Curry, Green, and Kerr have been in this position before. They would rather give the next generation of Warriors stars a fair chance to reach the top too, instead of risking everything for one last shot at glory.
