As one of the most experienced head coaches in the NBA, Steve Kerr has witnessed it all. From reliable shooter on one of the most historic dynasties in the league, to the leader of a franchise cementing its name in the history books, Kerr’s accolades stack up against the best of them.
Still, even the second-longest tenured current NBA coach gets it wrong. With every year since Kevin Durant’s departure, new additions to the team have come, making it a challenge to find stability.
Amidst the Warriors’ losing skid throughout December, Kerr finds himself under fire for his questionable rotation choices and in-game schemes.
Rotation Fluctuations
The Warriors have used 15 different starting lineup combinations since the beginning of the season, stumbling to find any sort of cohesion.
One of Kerr’s biggest tests came in figuring out how to fit Jonathan Kuminga in the rotation. After an impressive first few games of the season, Kuminga slid back to the old ways that hindered the Warriors. Ill-advised shots and defensive lapses forced the head coach to tinker with the 23-year-old’s minutes.
After vacillating back and forth from the starting lineup to the bench unit, Kuminga looks to be out of the rotation for the foreseeable future. The rumors circulating around a potential trade have fueled the notion that Kuminga won’t be a member of the Warriors for much longer.
After Kuminga was listed out with an illness before Saturday night’s game, Kerr once again shifted his opening lineup.
The Warriors rolled out a starting five of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Quinten Post, Jimmy Butler, and Moses Moody Saturday night. With Draymond Green receiving a flagrant 2 foul penalty ejection at the 10:45 mark of the second quarter, Kerr’s rotation patterns were thrown for a loop.
Green’s early exit left Kerr scrambling to find the best combination, forcing him to go 11 deep the rest of the way.
Riding with the Young Guys
Kerr has also found himself in the crosshairs due to his sudden decision to pull out rookie Will Richard from the rotation. The four-year college player had just begun to blossom in his few months as a professional.
On the Warriors, he provides a much-needed scoring punch as a near 40% three-point shooter. His precocious understanding of how to play off the ball and take what defenses offer should earn him a permanent spot.
Kuminga’s illness, Al-Horford’s sciatica issues, and Green’s early exit meant that additional support needed to come from somewhere.
Despite Kerr’s stubborn ways turning his back against the rookie, Richard looked like he hadn’t missed a beat when reinserted into the rotation.
The former Florida Gator erupted for 20 points on a highly efficient 6/7. Richard nailed all four of his free throws and three-point attempts while grabbing five rebounds.
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Pat Spencer played a solid game too, despite only playing 10 minutes. His steal on Collin Gillespie set up Richard for a big three to end the third quarter.
The team contributions are a reminder of what comes from Kerr understanding how to optimize his roster
Making Tough Decisions
His debatable choices to ride struggling veterans prevents the Warriors from receiving the kinds of performances they need from others. One of the strongest signs of Kerr putting team needs over his own ideologies was handing Buddy Hield a DNP.
The rotational conundrum is something Kerr acknowledges wasn’t easy to come to terms with.
“I replaced him with Will,” he said regarding the decision to play Richard over Hield.
“I feel terrible, but we needed to get [Richard] back out there. [Hield’s] time will come back around. He’s the greatest teammate and has the right attitude,” Kerr said.
Kerr’s attachment to players’ attitudes and personalities, even while they negatively affect team performance, shows why it is difficult for him to make the necessary adjustments.
Hield’s shooting percentages have drastically plummeted, meaning that the team has to find shooting threats from elsewhere.
Hield’s DNP, along with Will Richard proving vital to the team, will require Kerr to make difficult decisions going forward. None of the young players will be perfect. Expecting them to play error-free is unrealistic. But right now, what players like Richard, Spencer, and even Gui Santos provide far outweighs potential mistakes.
The Secret to Unlocking Butler
What powered the 23-7 stint following Butler’s acquisition last trade deadline was his prominent role in the team’s offense and his aggressive mentality. While Butler insists he enjoys setting up his teammates, this year’s team needs him to get his own.
Butler thrived most last season when he was able to take advantage of matchups to score or leverage his gravity to create opportunities for others.
Though Butler may not be Curry, he still garners attention from opponents’ defenses. Keeping defenses honest forces them to react and make decisions, ensuring he is a threat.
Surrounding him with spacing is pivotal in best maximizing the 36-year-old’s skillset.
The assertive side of Butler that many waited to see emerged in both of the Warriors’ December matches with the Suns. His 31-point Phoenix showing Thursday night was just the third time this season and second time since opening night that Butler scored at least 30.
Following their thrilling 116-119 weekend victory, the veteran forward was asked about the root of his scoring uptick.
“I got the ball more, if we’re being brutally honest,” Butler professed, “so I was able to attack.. Shoot the ball when I’m open-as always- pass it when I’m not (open)- as always.”
Curry agreed that the guys accompanying Butler on the court play a large role in Butler’s effectiveness.
“It goes with our spacing around him, to give him the ability to attack matchups or be able to see the floor and the reads and the gaps that he can take advantage (of).”
“He’s unbelievable when he gets under control and he can get to where he wants to go, but if there’s chaos around him, the spacing’s not right, and there’s no outlets then they’re (opponents) able to key in on him; it makes his job harder.”
Making the Proper Adjustments
If the Warriors are intent on turning this season around, Kerr will have to get out of his head.
What worked well in the past is no longer serviceable to this team regarding lineup combinations and game plans. The hallmark of a great coach is the willingness to think outside of oneself and make tough calls rotationally.
And he will need to do so now more than ever.
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