Steve Kerr is likely to be a genius by way of teaching Xs and Os. When he took over from Mark Jackson as Warriors head coach in 2014, he requested Stephen Curry to play off the ball after the sharpshooter served as a conventional pick-and-roll level guard in his early years within the league. Kerr additionally made daring strikes, akin to using Draymond Inexperienced as a small-ball 5 and Andre Iguodala as a de facto level guard.
Kerr’s read-and-react playbook enabled Curry and Klay Thompson to take their video games to a brand new stage, resulting in a dynastic run.
Whereas Kerr has been glorious at placing veteran gamers in excellent roles, he has failed miserably at growing or figuring out younger abilities.
For one, he implored the Warriors to draft James Wiseman with the No. 2 choose in 2020 over LaMelo Ball, Tyrese Haliburton and Tyrese Maxey. Everyone knows how that turned out.
Kerr additionally pushed the Warriors to draft Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody in 2021, passing up on Franz Wagner, Alperen Sengun and Trey Murphy III.
Granted, Kerr is not solely responsible for these draft mishaps — the entrance workplace may have achieved higher. However the least he can do is stand by the gamers he vouched for and permit them to flourish.
Fumbling Podziemski, Moody, Kuminga
Kerr has achieved the alternative. He has hesitated to unleash Kuminga and Moody, placing each wings in unfavorable positions for almost 4 years. Neither participant has discovered a constant function on this staff. Moody, for instance, averaged 20 minutes in two video games within the first week of December and has since mixed for 22 minutes over the past three video games. There have been related stretches in November when he barely noticed the ground.
Kuminga’s state of affairs is extra difficult. The Congolese ahead went from the No. 2 possibility behind Curry to the seventh man to a starter once more. Oh, and he is again to a bench function. Kerr has refused to present the 22-year-old an extended leash and develop from his errors.
Very like Kuminga and Moody, Brandin Podziemski has additionally seen his taking part in time and stats regress from final season. The southpaw has rapidly gone from a future franchise cornerstone to commerce bait.
It does not assist that Kerr routinely calls out his youthful gamers, probably dampening their confidence. This season, he has publicly blasted Podziemski twice and ripped Kuminga last week for his poor shot choice.
In some unspecified time in the future, it is time to admit that Kerr will not be adept at teaching or growing younger gamers. The Warriors are higher served delivery out all the children in favor of a veteran like Jimmy Butler.
