Steve Kerr is out indefinitely while tending to his recurring back problems. Though this doesn’t technically mean he’s done for the season, the Golden State Warriors are moving forward as such.
From CSN Bay Area’s Monte Poole:
“The way we look at it is, plan on him not coming back,” Draymond Green said after practice Monday. “That’s the way we’re approaching this thing.” . . .
“The expectation is, until we hear otherwise, Coach Brown will continue to run the show,” Stephen Curry said, “with Coach Kerr being on speed-dial every single minute he can to give his input.”
This is the right approach to take. Kerr himself has gone to great lengths to ensure it. He is on record stating he won’t try and return unless he’s 100 percent sure he’ll be on the sidelines the rest of the way. He doesn’t want to subject his team to that uncertainty.
The Warriors, of course, are well-oiled enough to run without him. That’s both a testament to the players and culture they have in place, all of which Kerr has his hand in. He has aided in the development of a work environment that transcends his presence, something that’s truly hard to do.
This isn’t to say the Warriors won’t feel his absence at some point. Rotation decisions, substitution patterns and lineup proclivities are reflexive by now, but perhaps Kerr’s stand-in, Mike Brown, won’t be able to deliver an uplifting speech when the team needs it. Or something like that.
Kerr’s absence matters. Don’t make the mistake of thinking it doesn’t. But the Warriors are going to be fine. Their biggest problems, even without Kerr, continue to be of the champagne variety.
