Steve Kerr Press Conference on Re-Signing with the Warriors

[0:00] Hi guys. How are you doing? I guess I'll just start off and just say I'm thrilled to be back. [0:13] Couldn't be more excited to continue on this job and we had a great process the last few weeks [0:22] trying to figure this out together collaboratively. I don't think this actually happens in pro sports [0:29] honestly where you have these kind of conversations and and genuinely authentically try to figure out [0:37] together what what's the right thing you know so I'm very lucky to be in this organization to work [0:41] with the people I do to work with Joe and Mike and you know before that about Myers and you know [0:48] where it's a it truly is a partnership and we're trying to do what's the best thing for the franchise [0:55] and we literally spent a couple weeks trying to figure out if the best thing for the franchise was [1:01] was me coming back and ultimately for me I took about a week to really think about [1:12] whether it was the right thing for me and my wife and I spoke every day about it and bottom line was [1:21] I still love what I do which is what I told you guys throughout the season I love coaching I love [1:27] being part of the the Warriors and so at the end of about a week you know my wife and I decided [1:35] let's you know let's keep doing this if if the Warriors want me to keep doing this and it was you [1:44] know she my wife said something she said you know you might coach again someday but you'll never coach [1:50] the Warriors again and that was really meaningful to me because I love this team I love our players and [1:56] and that that struck me you know I couldn't I couldn't imagine walking away from the Warriors [2:06] and so at that point it was really you know what do you guys want to do and we had great meetings and [2:12] over the course of about a week we all agreed let's do it and so here I am so I'll take questions I don't [2:22] know how specific you can get but you know what within those conversations matter what changes or [2:29] just you know what why did you guys decide it was right for you to be back and what made that so [2:35] well ultimately it was I think just the partnership and what we have and what we've built and I think [2:46] you know that what we had to get to was it wasn't so much you know here are all the changes we need to [2:52] make because we know we need to make some change I know I have to be better I didn't have a great [2:57] coaching year this year I I know there are a lot of things I can do better um and then and Mike and [3:04] Joe know they have a big job on their hands this summer you know we've got to find somebody in the [3:09] draft who can help us and um you know make a make a couple good signings um maybe a trade who knows right [3:16] we so that stuff was more general it wasn't sort of you know here are the things I need or here are [3:22] the things they need it was more just an inflection point for the franchise where we are um you know [3:31] where we've been and what does it look like and with the injuries to Jimmy and Moses I think we had to [3:38] come to a much more um reality based you know shared vision of what does success look like for us [3:48] what are we trying to accomplish because for the first time really since the injury uh plagued year [3:56] what was that 19 or 20. um you know we we aren't sitting here uh saying hey we can win a championship [4:05] right so like that's I don't need to say that we all kind of know that where we are right at this [4:10] second and so I think um we had to hash that out we had to talk about all those things um one of the [4:18] things I feel really strongly about is uh I want to um get better I want to lay um a stronger foundation [4:27] for next season that will carry forward um for years to come beyond when I'm here I think that's [4:34] important to the franchise I know that it's important to Steph and Draymond and and frankly [4:40] this year we I think we got a little away from that we got a little too loose obviously literally [4:46] loose with the ball but I think we because of our age because of our injuries we spent a lot of time [4:54] kind of resting and I got to tighten the ship next year and so these were all parts of the [5:01] conversation but the idea is let's see how good we can be and we think we can still be good we've [5:09] got to get some guys back from injuries we've got to make some moves I've got to do some things but [5:14] let's run it back let's see how good we can be and I think we're all really excited about that [5:20] what does tightening the ship and laying a stronger foundation for the future look like for you well for [5:25] me it's and Mike and I have agreed on this we have to fix the turnovers I've literally been watching [5:32] all of them from the season the last few days and that has to be an organizational wide effort [5:41] everything we're doing in player development we that we have to look at fundamentals decision making [5:48] we've got to think of creative ways to implement things in practice that will help us become better [5:56] decision makers but we we know that where we are right now we have to win on the margins and we knew [6:02] that last year coming in you know we wanted to win the possession game get extra offensive rebounds limit [6:10] our turnovers and we didn't we didn't do a very good job of it and so that's that's on me and that's on [6:15] my staff to to try to make that happen Steve how much did you hear from Steph and Draymond while you [6:21] were making a decision talking to Joe talking to Mike how much did you hear from them and how much [6:26] input did they have I was in touch with both of them they did not have any impact or influence on [6:37] whether I was going to be the coach and that's a credit to to them you know I think [6:45] one of the strong points of our organization is that our best player who is one of the greatest [6:50] players in the history of the game is not telling Mike or Joe what to do he understands the repercussions [6:57] of that if he wanted to go down that path and it's not healthy it's it usually doesn't work out well when [7:04] a player tries to dictate what an organization does so Steph has always recognized the sanctity of that wall [7:12] that should exist but we had a lot of discussions and talked about everything talked about our team [7:20] and some of the things I've just mentioned where we can get better I know he wanted me to coach I know [7:26] I wanted to coach him and that that mattered but ultimately we have a you know really special strong [7:37] bond that should carry over into our success as a team I think I have a better chance of [7:45] coaching this team than anybody else because of that relationship my relationship with Draymond my intimate [7:53] knowledge of our team and our organization and as I said from the beginning I still love what I do if [7:59] I were tired and burned out then I would not be doing this but I love love my job I love coaching the [8:07] warriors being in this city being in the bay so it all it all worked out Steve as you uh literally watch [8:14] every single turnover how vast of like philosophical changes need to happen to tighten those things up [8:20] well there's only so much you can change philosophically um you know it's it's um it's really more about [8:28] the approach um it's not it's not so much about style of play we actually changed our style quite a [8:36] bit this year we ran more five out you know than we have ever before because of our personnel with uh [8:44] Quentin and Al and Kristaps that you know for the last 25 games whatever uh we haven't had space fives [8:52] this was also the first time we didn't have an offensive rebounder at the five uh with loons absence [8:59] it really changed the dynamics of our team quite a bit um but we we changed uh quite a bit strategically [9:07] um but you still have a personality as a team and as long as Steph and Draymond are [9:13] a part of that personality you're gonna you're gonna see them do their thing you know their two-man [9:18] game that you saw against the Clippers that won that game um but we have to figure out [9:26] the process of creating better possessions we have to look at everything that's what we're doing [9:31] um obviously things were jumbled this year with all the injuries and made it difficult but we can't [9:39] use that as an excuse we have to go into next year with a really clear plan and our players have to be [9:46] part of that this summer it's not like we're going to show up on October 1st and we're going to say hey [9:50] here's what we're doing like I'm literally going to be talking to our key stakeholders and um leaders [9:57] within the team and and bouncing things off of them and so you'll see some differences but [10:02] basketball still basketball you know it's um it's not like all of a sudden we're you know going from [10:08] the wishbone to the you know run and shoot I don't know I mean that was a terrible metaphor [10:16] anyway um you know you can only change so much but your process can lead to better decision making [10:22] better fundamentals and and that can lead to better possessions and then you capture momentum from [10:28] there I think within that as you watch the playoffs aside from just talent is there a certain type of [10:33] players or trends that you're seeing that can help you guys as well too well we've been really studying [10:40] all those trends for years now it's what we do every summer we have every one of our assistant coaches [10:47] is doing deep dives on what's happening around the league um analytics department is is making [10:54] suggestions um and you're seeing it around the league you see the changes in the way people play [11:01] i think the example i've given you guys before is every coach i ever had if i took an early [11:09] shot in the you know a jumper in transition you know they would say don't that's a bad shot it's [11:14] you can always get that shot and now we have analytics to prove that that was dead wrong you [11:19] know the the highest efficiency shots are the the earliest ones in the shot clock and it's not just [11:26] throw ahead for layups like the old days it's throw ahead for threes those are really good shots [11:31] and everybody's trying to create early shots before the defense is set we know that [11:38] and we're trying to do the same thing um so we have to match our personnel with [11:42] uh what we're working on this summer what we're implementing in the fall and um really be ready [11:48] to roll that first day of camp hey steve um steph likes to mention meaningful games um which i kind [11:55] of think aligns with what you've been saying today um and you had you guys had that moment in la where [12:00] that very special moment um is that kind of the chase right now having those those moments yeah but [12:06] we want more of them you know we we want to be able to uh to feel that way um consistently this year was [12:13] really weird because it felt like we were locked into 10th for about the the last 10 15 games [12:20] there was nowhere to go up or down created a really weird situation where we went into that clipper [12:27] game without much of an edge you know we weren't healthy we weren't sharp we hadn't played a meaningful [12:34] game and i think our team uh showed what they were made of by um playing an incredible uh game to to [12:44] pull that game out literally meaningful basketball and um so i know it's still in them and we've got some [12:52] young players who who have gained great experience who are really getting better by the day and that's [12:58] exciting and yeah we want to create a meaningful season where we are um putting the best version [13:06] of ourselves out there winning games putting ourselves in the hunt and then you know getting [13:11] moses jimmy back and you know the best best case you know scenario we build that momentum and get guys [13:18] back and and you know we we feel like we can make a run and that's um when you do that that's all you can [13:25] ask hi steve i have two sort of disparate questions um first you've said a few times you want to end [13:31] this the right way with steph and draymond um how do you sort of balance that with obviously trying to [13:36] reshape the team and and and get younger or you know move forward pick some of the things you've [13:42] talked about what does that look like i guess yeah i mean i think the things i've been describing are [13:47] um uh what that looks like and and i think that that means that we have to we meaning um our staff [13:57] staff dray our veteran players we have to be willing and open to some new thoughts and ideas about how [14:05] we're going about our day our practice schedule uh study habits can we do more without taxing the [14:13] players too much with their legs with all the games we play can we um can we implement some things can [14:20] we just be sharper um and uh strategically if there's a couple changes can can you guys get out [14:28] of your comfort zone a little bit and embrace something different um it's not going to be dramatic [14:34] but it's enough where if we're going to win on the margins then everybody has to be open to the fact [14:42] that we've got to get better and i will tell every every player that i look in the mirror first i've [14:48] got to be better next year and i'm excited about the challenge and but i'm going to ask them to be [14:53] better too and sort of a non-basketball question but you acknowledge in the new yorker in review that [14:58] you needed to soften your tone sometimes on your political comments and that you know became a talking [15:04] point a bit the last three weeks or whenever while you were deciding um did that how much was that [15:10] part of these conversations and did you how are you going to do that going forward i mean how are [15:15] you viewing that whole issue it never came up um you know i think i've learned over the years [15:21] the balance and i think for the most part um you know i've i've i've found a good balance where i can [15:28] speak my mind on things that are really important um to me and represent the franchise in a in a [15:36] dignified way and and that that literally never came up that was um not a uh a part of the [15:43] conversation at all in terms of whether i was coming back or not how would you describe uh you [15:51] know kind of your relationship with joe and the complexities of you know clearly some of the [15:55] conversations at the high level are joe's vision of the future and the grandness and where this is all [16:00] going and the end of this era just how would you just kind of describe i think joe joe and i have great [16:06] respect for each other i mean you know i was here as a player all those years out at oracle when [16:11] the crowd was loving it and the team was lousy you know it just it just was i mean they're the the team [16:18] did not have what it has now which is strong really strong leadership incredible infrastructure [16:26] and a vision for winning um everyone booed joe when he said we're going to win a title or we're going [16:32] to you know we're trading monte whatever it was right and but you can't argue with the results [16:38] like joe came in here and he built a pretty incredible um organization on the business side [16:43] on the basketball side and and we've we've had a great partnership doesn't mean we always agree and [16:48] nor should we we want to be pushing each other and you know the only thing i would reveal from our uh [16:55] our conversations um and i don't think he would uh mind if i shared this but you know we were talking [17:03] about our injuries and how this is the first time where we can't realistically just say hey let's let's [17:08] win a title next year you know and he just said you know i'm the owner and i can't help but just say i [17:15] you know i expect to be in the playoffs every year and have a shot and frankly that's one of the reasons why [17:21] we have done that it's because of his vision and his passion and um i admire that i love that um i [17:31] think he sees the same thing in me we're both incredibly competitive and uh he you know he's [17:37] going to be frustrated with things that i do and i'm going to be frustrated with you know his reaction [17:42] sometimes on a on the sideline or you know if he's uh upset with something we're doing you know like [17:47] like that's all part of it um but we have great respect uh for one another and we share the exact [17:54] same goal and that's ultimately why i'm coming back because if if that didn't uh exist then then this [18:04] would have ended steve um in the espn story it sounds like your your family pretty much universally [18:11] wanted you to keep coaching um a lot of other people did too how much influence did other people's [18:16] opinions have and did sometimes you think they could see that this was where you were supposed [18:22] to be better than you could see it well yeah my daughter um i think i think she it was may have [18:29] been in the article but she said dad don't focus on you know the two or three things you don't like [18:34] about your job focus on the hundred things you do like and she said you know most of us don't love [18:39] everything about our jobs i was like yeah that's that's true it hurts when you're when your kids tell [18:44] you the truth and you realize they're smarter than you um i was also reminded of a great story [18:51] it was like 25 years ago there was a baseball player who retired said he wanted to spend more [18:56] time with his family and then a year later he came back and they the media when he came back he said what [19:02] happened he said well i wanted to spend more time with my family but i realized my family didn't want [19:06] to spend more time with me there was a little bit of that in there too it's a you know a very healthy [19:12] separation when i fly off on a 10-day road trip and uh um i'm i'm really kidding on that stuff i i my [19:20] family knows me better than anybody i'm happiest when i'm on the court with my players when i'm [19:26] collaborating with uh with mike and the and the organization and i love this and um even through [19:35] the struggles this year i love the struggle i love the challenge and and um what margot said to me you [19:42] know you you if you if you leave you can come back and coach but you can never coach the warriors [19:47] again that was the most meaningful thing because i love um the warriors i love uh you know steph and [19:54] dre and and the guys and uh rick celebrini and and mike and um our our crew eric house and and uh bert and [20:07] i mean you i can go down the list and there's people when i walk into that building every day who [20:11] i love and admire and who i know share the same values and um desire for us to win and it's an incredibly [20:21] um exciting and enlivening feeling to have that and i wasn't ready to walk away also um the clippers [20:30] game was amazing and you know you said we were us for one night but if that game hadn't happened could [20:37] this not be taking place i mean did you need to see it again um right before you were about to [20:44] make this decision it helped i i can't i couldn't tell you you know if that hadn't happened i couldn't [20:51] predict i i think i would still be here um but um you know you do live for uh those types of moments [21:01] and um you know it's um it's something you it's hard to describe you know the how awesome and um and [21:12] just um exhilarating it is to uh to coach and to win a game and to see everything you know come together [21:21] and it's it's one of the reasons we all you know have trouble walking away um and i don't want to be [21:30] you know the guy who can't walk away um so there a lot of that went through my mind it was a time to [21:37] really think um but i'm i'm still pretty young i still i've got a lot of energy i love what i do [21:44] um you know it's it made sense to to keep going and um so i'm excited steve going off of that and [21:53] over this way uh trying to know when to walk away and knowing when it's time with this being a two-year [21:58] deal do you see that as okay at the end of these two years that that's going to be it or do you leave [22:02] the door open yeah i mean the the way the nba works um you know i could get fired a week into it who [22:08] knows i mean you just don't even think about that stuff um and and i think this year was such a an [22:17] obvious inflection point for the franchise it's why we deliberated it's why we really gave it a lot of [22:26] thought and um and i think as i said we we came to a a really clear path of you know let's let's really [22:37] recommit to um this group and how we're operating and what we're trying to do and make sure um our [22:46] foundation is strong and and that it's setting up whatever's next because um we have to be looking [22:54] forward but i i can't predict any of that fired a weekend for not playing the rookie [23:00] uh i did want to ask about that though you know let's say you guys use the 11th pick [23:05] um should theoretically have minutes available with jimmy and moses being down but how you know [23:10] considering where everything's at how committed do you feel like you're going to need to be to like [23:14] the development of that lottery i think that's a huge factor and i think we're in a different place [23:18] now right um there's no question um and i've talked to mike i mean i don't know the draft but he feels [23:25] really strongly that we're going to get a good player it could be a 19 year old it could be someone [23:30] older um it's obvious where we are uh with the injuries to moses and jimmy you look at our depth on [23:39] the wings um that guy has to play and um he's got to earn it you know um but um we're we're committed [23:48] to absolutely um you know the the development of our young players and um you know trying to trying [23:56] to do this thing in a way that allows for you know success down the road down the road meaning [24:03] you know the end of next season and and beyond and we're excited about that so [24:09] steve what did obama want to know about kaminga that was uh that was when he was a free agent [24:19] so it's last summer and uh we uh have a mutual friend and we had and had dinner and he literally [24:28] walked up and just what's going to happen with coming it was like he was talking about the contract [24:32] you know on a on a even more serious note you mentioned this mike has mentioned this it seems [24:38] like all cards were on the table during your conversations and there is a reality especially [24:44] because of the injuries that you've talked about several times a championship may not be a realistic [24:49] expectation next year so what do you think success looks like for next season i think it looks like [24:58] recommitting to our values and our process you know i i think the last couple years frankly have been [25:05] difficult um with um the age uh the collective age of our team the injuries i think we had like six [25:16] guys this year who either couldn't play back to backs or were on minutes restrictions off often at the [25:21] same time and i think i really frankly um gave uh gave everyone too much leeway this year it just felt [25:32] like we were constantly arresting everybody and um just trying to survive to the next game and have [25:39] enough healthy bodies and we we talked about that in our meetings and we have to address that it may mean [25:46] walkthroughs it may mean written tests it may mean um more video work um hopefully it also means more time [25:57] on the court um we need that but we we i think we lost some of our discipline and we we got a little [26:04] loose and that's that's my job and if we can go into the season with a really clear vision of what we're [26:12] trying to do you know on the court everybody is tight and committed and we get the process going [26:19] that's that's what will lead to success and so i i can't sit here and you know predict anything wins [26:27] and losses but what success means to me is rededicating ourselves to a process where we're gonna we're gonna [26:35] put in the work we're gonna get better with uh terry stoss and jerry stackhouse uh departing um just what [26:42] what would they kind of mean to your coaching staff and what sort of the plan to replace them [26:45] they were both fantastic um you know terry told me six weeks ago probably um what his plans were [26:53] and i kind of had an inkling um you know he's uh he may coach again um i think he he just recognized [27:04] it felt like a good time for him to leave and either take some time or see what other opportunities are [27:09] out there he's still got great energy and a phenomenal human being and i i really valued my [27:19] time with him look forward to seeing him every day and collaborating and we're gonna miss terry and [27:25] obviously i wish him well and then stack two years you know coming in here as a former player [27:32] a guy with head coaching experience at the collegiate level i loved what he brought his voice in front of [27:38] the team um the conviction he has as a coach as a man um he wants to be a head coach um and um so we [27:49] we're looking at um some candidates um we're also looking to promote from within um i've already spoken [27:57] with you know a couple people on the outside and that process will will continue here in the next couple [28:03] weeks steve you mentioned uh you talked to step and draymond during the process here um how important [28:12] was it to to just do that to hear what they had to say you knew how you felt you kind of knew how they [28:17] felt but just voice to voice how important was that that was very important um yeah i mean it was those [28:25] we've been together for 12 years now so it goes goes beyond you know just coach player it's family you [28:31] know and and uh and so those conversations were important and um i just liked that everybody was [28:39] you know very honest and open and um i think both of those guys showed me the respect of just you know [28:49] saying hey you know we want you to be excited about this and we want you to be happy and um but it's your [28:57] decision and and they were very supportive and do you have any idea i don't know if you've spoken with [29:02] them or not um what what's ahead what for al and kp um oh in terms of like contracts yeah yeah whether [29:11] they will interest in coming back and so forth well um i had an exit meeting with al um you know a couple [29:20] days after the season ended um obviously we want him back it's his option as you know with the player [29:27] option i know he really enjoys it here i know his family loves it here um i'm hoping he's back and [29:35] christophe's actually uh we did not have an exit meeting i gave him a pass on the exit meeting because [29:42] he he had to fly somewhere like the next day after our season ended and um i do that frequently with [29:50] veteran players you know there's there's only so much you need to discuss [29:54] um he's obviously unrestricted um i'd love to have him back i know he uh enjoyed it here and he's a [30:02] really talented player and i thought showed an awful lot for our team and i'd love to have them both back [30:08] but we have to just see how it plays out uh coach uh before you were in here mike was in here talking [30:14] about yeah we got to fix the turnovers and i just wonder with all the success you've had how challenging [30:19] is it for you on a personal note as you self-reflect on the season you know i've got to get better and [30:24] then hearing it from when you're having those discussions with mike and joe that maybe a little [30:29] thing here or there needs to improve how easy is that for you to digest it and say yeah they're right [30:33] i need to to fix this and that yeah it's those are great conversations and and as i said earlier i mean [30:39] we're we are in a partnership we all want the exact same thing and um one of the things that i think is [30:45] uh most important when you're in a position of leadership is listening and and not taking [30:50] stuff personally and feeling offended and and understanding that you know when you're in [30:57] partnership with people um you have to listen um not that i needed uh any arm twisting to fix our [31:06] turnovers i'm well aware um that uh that that's that was a big problem for us this year but i think [31:13] it's just important to to take everybody's thoughts and advice and try to come up with the best solution [31:21] that's always been the way i've coached and operated and and i think we have what's what's exciting and [31:27] very challenging we have a lot to figure out this summer and i've been talking about it you know just [31:35] in terms of our process and how we're going to do it because it's not as simple as it sounds obviously [31:40] we've got to really think about our whole process and how we can implement enough change to make it [31:49] make an impact steve on a serious note this way other way right here are there any concerts that [31:56] you're planning on going to this off season so we have lyrics to watch for that didn't sound that [32:01] serious to me i'm a big counting crows fan so yeah you if you pay attention next year who knows you might [32:10] hear a little adam duritz so i'm sorry it was it was pretty well coordinated and uh camouflaged so [32:25] yeah i think the only one that might have been obvious was when i not obvious but revealing was [32:32] when i complimented janie on her scarf and the word scarf was in the song that i was quoting and [32:40] pretty sure i've never mentioned the word scarf before in any of our sessions together so [32:45] i had a little fun with that that was my you know internal family humor that is no longer internal [32:52] but that's okay just you know you've mentioned a couple times that it's kind of unrealistic to think [32:58] like you know title um is ahead but you know where are you at on on the roster and you know can you guys [33:06] get back there what do you what's needed and and you know i guess how accepting are some of your [33:12] veterans of that reality well i mean this is uh these were conversations that we had you know what [33:22] are what are some of the things that we can do we don't really know and that's obviously mike's [33:27] department but nothing happens right now but i know that mike and joe are committed to putting the best [33:35] roster on the floor i do think it's important that we don't have the vast number of players who couldn't [33:44] play back to backs this past we can't do that again it's too hard to build continuity so we we need some [33:50] some younger likes for sure we know that how do you do that it's a difficult job and so that's up to [33:59] mike and and obviously i will he will consult with me on on moves and we'll hash that stuff out but [34:07] you know i i just i feel very strongly that what we have here is um something special and strong and [34:16] despite the injuries we can we can have a year where we get back in the in the hunt and i'm confident [34:25] of that when you think about the vacancies on your staff um and thinking about internal external [34:32] candidates regardless of where they're coming from what kind of qualities are you looking for [34:36] for for for your future top lieutenant well you're always looking for the best people [34:40] um we did lose our our two defensive coordinators this year and cd and and stack so um you know i'd [34:51] like to bring in somebody with a strong defensive mind um but you're you're always looking for the very [34:58] best people out there and um every summer is different based on you know who's available and [35:05] but you're you're always keeping your eye out um and um so we've been doing that and um we'll see how [35:11] it plays out draymont's future is kind of probably the most up in the air uh over the next month and a [35:21] half you said you you you know had conversations within this uh how do you still view his future and [35:27] and the possibility of him finishing here well he you know the number one thing is the uh you know [35:35] it's it's it's up to him he has a player option so he's got to go through that with his agent how how [35:41] that plays out um you know i uh i am committed to um coaching him uh coaching steph obviously um for as long as [35:53] they're here and i look at them as uh collaborators um and what we've built is is pretty special um so [36:03] rare for a coach and two players to be together for 12 years um as a trio it's it's remarkable really [36:12] so um i'm ready to coach draymont and that's um you know um we'll see how it all plays out it's really [36:19] more up to him than anything and we'll see how the the contract stuff happens thanks a lot [36:27] thanks