Steve Kerr Gets Real About the Warriors’ Future, LeBron, and the Reality of an Aging Roster
Steve Kerr sat down with The Ringer ahead of the Warriors’ season opener, opening up about the team’s uncertain future, the pursuit of LeBron James, and the tough realities of building a roster around an aging core.
Kerr admitted that the summer was a whirlwind. He contemplated retirement before signing a two-year extension, and the front office made a serious play for LeBron James. Ultimately, LeBron chose Philadelphia, and Kerr wasn’t surprised. He said while Steph and Draymond did the recruiting, LeBron never reached out to him directly, and he never expected him to. Kerr thinks LeBron made the right call.
On the court, the Warriors are dealing with a lot of injuries. Kristaps Porzingis is still out with an illness, while Moses Moody and Jimmy Butler will miss the start of the season. Kerr confessed that what scares him most is simply age and injuries. With guys like Steph, Jimmy, Draymond, Al, and Kristaps, health is the only way they can win. But he’s also excited about a new teaching format and fresh offensive concepts, hoping to keep practices engaging for the veterans.
When it comes to expectations, Kerr is focusing entirely on the process. There’s no talk of top-six seeds or home-court advantage. The plan is to build an identity, work on the margins, and get Jimmy back around February. He knows how crucial Butler is, comparing his emotional grip on a game to Michael Jordan’s. He shared a quick story about Jimmy stepping up to hit free throws during training camp, showing why he’s the alpha in the gym.
Kerr also addressed fan frustration over the front office’s reluctance to trade away the future for a big star. He argued that making those moves is harder than it looks, and trading everything for a 39-year-old Steph doesn’t make sense. He respects that Steph trusts the front office and doesn’t publicly call for trades, unlike other stars of his era.
Looking back at the dynasty, Kerr wishes Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant could have retired as Warriors, but he knows that’s not how sports—or life—works. You can’t keep the band together forever. As for his own future, he wants to leave at the right time, not too early and not too late, hoping he, Steph, and Draymond can walk away together when the time comes. He reflected on his 2014 decision to choose Golden State over the Knicks, crediting advice from Rick Carlisle and Danny Ferry, and said he’s thrilled to see the Knicks finally win a title.
