The Warriors spent the offseason making sure Steve Kerr stayed in the building, and once that was done, the focus shifted to the roster around Stephen Curry. Golden State locked Kerr in on a two-year, $35 million extension, then went searching for the kind of star power that could lighten Curry’s load.
The targets were ambitious: Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James. If the Warriors could land both, why not?
But when everything settled, they came away empty-handed. With free agency options now largely gone, Curry is again the player expected to carry the biggest burden.
Kerr didn’t frame the quiet summer as a failure. Speaking to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, he pointed to the bigger picture and the logic behind patience.
“You have to understand your place in the league and where everybody else is and what the future looks like. Mike (Dunleavy) is really smart and prudent.
He understands the landscape. Joe's (Lacob) in agreement on that.
We're all pretty much really on the same page in terms of just being wise,” said the four-time champion coach.
He added that restraint can pay off later.
“(Sometimes), not making a move can be the best thing to do for your future. You keep stacking up good moves and eventually you pounce when you're ready.”
Golden State’s group will look familiar, with Curry joined by Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, Al Horford, Brandin Podziemski, and Moses Moody. Kristaps Porzingis is set for his first full season with the team.
There are still real questions hanging over the roster, especially after the Warriors missed the playoffs last season. Their only notable addition is Yaxel Lendeborg, which leaves the depth chart looking thin compared with the kind of splash the front office chased.
Even so, Kerr said the group won’t be short on urgency.
“We've got good players. We do need some better luck health-wise, but I think we'll get that.
What we did last year wasn't good enough. We've got to do a better job of just really finding the style of play, the two-way basketball we need,” added Kerr.
“It's not sexy, but it's in the details.”
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