Inside the Warriors: Steve Kerr, Draymond Green Clear the Air After Heated Exchange
In a season where the Golden State Warriors are fighting to redefine themselves, head coach Steve Kerr and veteran forward Draymond Green had a moment that reminded everyone just how fiery - and familiar - their relationship is. Following a heated exchange during Monday night’s win over the Orlando Magic, which saw Green leave the bench for most of the third quarter, Kerr addressed the situation with clarity and accountability.
“We talked today, we had a great chat,” Kerr said after Wednesday’s practice. “Frankly, Monday night was not my finest hour.”
Kerr didn’t dance around it. He owned the moment - a rare public acknowledgment from a coach who’s typically as composed as they come.
But this wasn’t just about a sideline spat. It was about two ultra-competitive personalities, 12 years deep into a partnership that’s brought four championships to the Bay.
“I needed to be calm in the huddle,” Kerr admitted. “I regret my actions in that exchange and I apologized to Dray.
He apologized to me. We both apologized to the team.”
This wasn’t a coach throwing a player under the bus. It was two leaders recognizing the emotional toll of high-stakes basketball and choosing to move forward - together.
Green, for his part, downplayed the incident in typical Draymond fashion.
“That’s what we do. We play basketball.
It’s an emotional game,” Green said after the game. “People lose their emotions sometimes.
It happens. It is what it is.”
And with that, the Warriors moved on - or at least, they’re trying to.
A Dynasty in Transition
What makes this moment more than just another sideline flare-up is the context. The Warriors aren’t the juggernaut they once were. Kerr knows it, and he said it plainly.
“We are no longer the ’17 Warriors dominating the league,” he said. “We are a fading dynasty.
We know that. Everybody knows that.”
That kind of honesty doesn’t come easy in pro sports, especially from a coach with four rings and a Hall-of-Fame résumé. But Kerr wasn’t being defeatist - he was being real.
This team isn’t trying to pretend it’s still 2017. Instead, it’s trying to squeeze one more run out of a core that’s been through everything together.
“So what is up to us?” Kerr continued.
“How do we carry ourselves night to night? How connected are we?
And can we give ourselves another swing at the plate?”
This is the heart of the Warriors’ current identity. They’re not just chasing wins - they’re chasing cohesion, pride, and purpose. They’re fighting to stay relevant in a Western Conference that’s younger, faster, and deeper than ever.
Kerr and Draymond: A Bond Forged in Fire
Kerr didn’t shy away from expressing just how much Green means to him - not just as a player, but as a person.
“I care so much about Draymond, and the relationship we have is like family,” Kerr said. “And like family, you go through ups and downs.”
That’s not just coach-speak. This is a relationship forged through a decade of playoff battles, locker room speeches, and yes - plenty of arguments. But through it all, Kerr has never wavered in his belief in Green’s value.
“This version of the Warriors doesn’t win four titles without Draymond’s passion,” Kerr said.
And now, even as the team tries to navigate a new era, Kerr made it clear what his ultimate hope is.
“My number one goal, honestly, is for him to finish his career as a Warrior - with us fighting, metaphorically, not literally, fighting and competing together until we’re both gone.”
Looking Ahead: A Familiar Face Awaits
The Warriors won’t have to wait long to test their renewed chemistry. Next up? A Christmas Day matchup against Klay Thompson and the Dallas Mavericks - a reunion that’s sure to stir up some emotions of its own.
Kerr, for one, is confident Green will rise to the moment.
“I’m expecting the very best version of Draymond tomorrow,” he said. “I know exactly who he is - he’s a winner, he’s a champion. He’s the most passionate, competitive person I’ve ever met.”
That passion can be a double-edged sword - it’s what makes Green so effective, but also what occasionally leads to moments like Monday night. Kerr knows it.
Green knows it. The team knows it.
But in the end, that fire is still burning. And as long as it is, the Warriors believe they’ve still got a shot - not at recapturing the past, but at writing one more chapter in one of the NBA’s most compelling dynasties.