Стив Керр “Голдэн Стэйт Уорриорс” багтай дахин хоёр улирлын гэрээ байгуулж, өөрийн бүтээсэн багийн соёлыг үргэлжлүүлэн авч явахаа илэрхийлэв. Тэрбээр багийн дотоод орчинд Уорриорсын дээд амжилтын үе “унтарч буй” талаар илэн далангүй ярьдаг ч, Стефен Карригийн хамт бүтээсэн соёлд итгэлтэй хэвээр байна.
Өнгөрсөн улирлын төгсгөлд Керр эргэлзэж байсан ч багийн бүтэц, харилцаа, соёлыг орхиж чадаагүй нь түүнийг ажилдаа эргэн орох гол хүчин зүйл болжээ. Керр шинэ гэрээ байгуулах хүртэлх ярилцлагууддаа багийн соёлыг амьд организмтай зүйрлэн, бэрхшээлийг хэрхэн даван туулах нь үнэнч үнэт зүйлсээс хамаардаг гэж тодорхойлсон байна. Багийн эзэн Жо Лакоб, ерөнхий менежер Майк Данливи нартай хийсэн хэлэлцээрийн үр дүнд хамтын ажиллагаа үргэлжлэхээр болсон бөгөөд тэрбээр Карриг удирдан дасгалжуулах ажилдаа дуртайгаа илэрхийлэв.
Багийн тоглолтын хэв маяг, дамжуулалт, гурван онооны шидэлт зэрэг нь олон жилийн турш хөгжиж ирсэн бөгөөд шинэ тоглогчид ч энэ соёлд нийцэж чадвал хүчирхэг баг болж чадна гэж тэрээр үзэж байна. Ирэх улирлын гол асуудал нь Дрэймонд Грийнтэй холбоотой бөгөөд тэрбээр дараагийн улиралд 27 сая долларын тоглогчийн сонголттой ч худалдааны ярианд оролцох магадлалтай байна. Гэсэн ч Керрийн удирдлага дор Карри, Грийн хоёрын холбоо бат бөх хэвээр байна гэж үзэж байна.
Керрийн хувьд тоглогчидтойгоо гүн холбоо үүсгэж, тэдний сэтгэл зүй, талбайн бус амьдралд анхаарал тавих нь амжилтын үндэс болсон юм. Тэрбээр өөрийн тоглогчийн туршлагаасаа хуваалцаж, зөв нөхцөл байдлыг бүрдүүлэхэд анхаардаг бөгөөд түүний дасгалжуулалтын философи нь багийн тоглогчдын аз жаргал, хамтын ажиллагаанд төвлөрч байгаа нь Уорриорсын амжилтын үндэс хэвээр байна.
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LOS ANGELES —Steve Kerr believes in the culture he built. In the end, that belief brought him back to the Golden State Warriors for two more seasons.
No one inside the organization has been more candid about how the Warriors’ time at the top is “fading.” But no one believes more deeply in what was built alongside Stephen Curry than the 60-year-old coach.
Kerr definitely had some doubts about returning for a 13th season — telling Curry and Green he loved them after a season-ending loss last month hinted at that uncertainty —but his heart was still in the job. It’s why the fire burned so strong throughout last season, and why he ultimately couldn’t walk away from the structure, relationships and culture he has built.
During several conversations with The Athletic over the season, prior to coming to an agreement on a new deal, Kerr repeatedly described what made that culture so special. The longer he talked about the characteristics, the more it sounded like he was talking about a plant that he was trying to keep growing straight.
“It makes perfect sense in those terms,” Kerr told The Athletic. “As a team, as a group of people, you literally are like a living, breathing thing as a group. And so, you get hit with adversity every year, and how you weather that storm, whatever the storm is, it really is based on your values and your culture, and is it real? Are the guys part of that? Do they want to be part of that?”
After weeks of conversation between Kerr, owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., all slides ultimately arrived at the same conclusion: the partnership still works better together than apart. Kerr still yearns for the daily grind. He still loves coaching a team led by Curry. And his agreement to a new deal reinforced that commitment.
“The beauty of Steph, the beauty of Tim Duncan, the beauty of these culture guys who are superstars, is that you can have a long run like we have, and you build continuity,” Kerr said. “And the continuity means not only do you get through the adversity, but on-court stuff makes sense. Our split cuts, we’ve been doing them for 12 years. If we had a brand new group of people, all the stuff you see Steph and Dray doing in pick-and-roll, that takes years to develop.”
Kerr’s return brings a comfort level throughout the organization. He is the organization’s day-to-day voice and one of its most respected figures internally. More importantly, the continuity he values deeply now extends beyond the roster and throughout Chase Center as the Warriors begin a summer filled with major questions about the roster.
What will they decide to do with Green? Will they wait on Jimmy Butler’s torn ACL to fully recover or try and package him in a deal to acquire another star? Can they get an extension worked out with Curry?
Whatever direction they go, Kerr’s new contract allows Golden State to continue selling its same championship standard to prospective veterans who may want one more run alongside Curry, no matter how far-fetched that may seem to some across the league who have watched the Warriors besieged by injuries and ineffectiveness since winning their last title in 2022.
With Kerr back in the fold, the next major question is what happens with Green. The 36-year-old holds a player option worth over $27 million next season, but he is also well-aware his name surfaced as part of trade discussions at February’s deadline and could again this summer. Whatever the Warriors decide to do, Green’s future in the Bay seems clearer with Kerr still at the helm than it would be with any other coach. The connectivity between Curry and Green is synonymous with the system that Kerr has built.
“They can do it with their eyes closed,” Kerr said. “So, you don’t have to spend time and practice on it. So if you’re lucky enough to have Steph and Dray and the culture that exists, and then you keep bringing in guys to join and they’re all in on the culture, it just seems to become a force of its own.
“And I think you can’t ever take it for granted. You just can’t. And it’s hard because every player has his own individual goals and circumstances and that’s why it’s really my job to be really in touch with every guy, on how he’s doing, more off the court than on the court. What’s going on? How are you feeling? And that’s why I’m just trying to check in with guys a lot.”
Beyond his nine NBA championship rings, Kerr’s reputation with the organization, and around the league is rooted in the personal connection he develops with his players and staff. He doesn’t begrudge a player who either doesn’t fit into the Warriors’ culture, because he’s seen enough in almost 40 years in the league to know that not every player fits every environment.
When the partnership works for Kerr, it works for the Warriors. But he also understands that the culture he’s spent years cultivating isn’t meant for everybody.
“We’re all human,” Kerr said. “I think for the vast majority of players in this league, circumstances dictate success. Ten percent of the guys in the league would be great no matter where they are. The other 90, they really need to find the right circumstances.
“I experienced this as a player, I think I played on five teams, maybe six — Phoenix, Cleveland, Orlando, Chicago, Portland, San Antonio —six teams. I was only in the rotation consistently with two of those six teams. The other teams, I wasn’t the right fit, or I had better players ahead of me, maybe the style of play (wasn’t suited to my game).”
The looming concern moving forward for the Warriors is whether Kerr’s approach, that has been so successful through the years, requires some evolution as the end of Curry’s career nears. Exactly what that looks like as far as potential roster decisions go remains to be seen, but on a day-to-day level, Kerr remains the steady presence he always has been.
He knows what he has in the Warriors. He knows what he has in Curry. And with a massive new contract in place, that’s a situation that is just too good to walk away from.
Kerr is also self-aware enough to know why he has the perspective that he does, why he has grown the plant the way that he has.
“I represent the vast majority of players in the league,” Kerr said. “And what you have to figure out as a player is while you’re trying to find the right circumstances, you have to understand the league, too. So you have to make yourself as valuable as possible. And that takes some time, the league is a complicated entity. That’s why you need a good agent to help you sort these (things through).
“My whole career changed after I had already been with three teams when I signed with Chicago. And I was a good fit in their culture and their offense. Found my place. But it took four teams to get there.”
Kerr believes those experiences have helped him relate to players deeper in the rotation, just as much as the top.
“In the meantime, you’re building your own brand,” Kerr said. “The more you can be a part of the group emotionally and spiritually, just the better chances you have of finding the right circumstances down the road, but it can be frustrating as hell. You’re sitting there. You’re not playing, so it’s tricky. There’s so much on the line for these guys, and every one of them is trying to take care of their family, trying to build their career. It’s a finite career. Even if you have a lengthy career, that’s 10 years. Every year is crucial. It’s just really hard as a player to be on the outside looking in. And I think those are the most important guys when it comes to culture. I was one of those guys my whole career. So, I feel like, in a lot of ways, I can relate to those guys way better than I can relate to Steph and Draymond.”
The reason Kerr is as successful as he’s been ultimately stems from the trust he has with Curry and Green, while maintaining the respect from the rest of the roster.
Backup point guard Pat Spencer said after the season that Kerr was “like a second father to me.” Young forward Gui Santos offered an explanation that encapsulated why Kerr’s connection with the players remains strong.
“The fact that he was a player and played a long time in the NBA, been in the NBA for a long time, he really understands everything that the players go through,” Santos said. “I love that … Steve is really, really special for me. I want to be coached by him my whole career, if I can.”
Kerr earned his place in the league as a player, but coaching has always been at his core. His philosophy centers around joy, one that Curry helped him take to historic heights in the Bay. The reality is that Kerr still finds his own joy in the day to day teaching process. No matter how many years, and how much money, Kerr still has a passion for what he does.
Santos’ words underscore why Kerr wanted to stay. With a new deal in place, the veteran coach has another opportunity to add to a legacy that is secure, regardless of what happens over the next two years. Kerr’s culture hasn’t just produced four NBA championships —it has remained intact heading into its 13th year. That longevity is every bit as impressive as the success itself.
