Head coach Steve Kerr was nothing if not candid in the aftermath of the Warriors’ elimination from the 2023 National Basketball Association Playoffs. It wasn’t simply that he doffed his hat to the Lakers, viewing the purple and gold to be better and deserving of a spot in the Western Conference Finals. More significantly, it was that he acknowledged his charges’ ceiling to have been met. Never mind their inability to defend the championship; he particularly noted how their travails began from the get-go, and did not let up in the regular season and throughout the semifinals.
Indeed, Kerr admitted that the Warriors “maxed out.” And he’s right. From their hideous road record to their first-round difficulties against the Kings (who hadn’t made the postseason in 15 years) to their evident handicaps versus the Lakers, the blue and yellow needed to overcome myriad intrinsic infirmities just to try to compete on even footing. It didn’t help as well that their start was shrouded in controversy, with veteran stalwart Draymond Green and next-generation prospect Jordan Poole the subjects — and, yes, models — of endless speculation on the state of their esprit de corps.
All the same, Kerr pushed back against the notion that the Warriors’ core of Green, two-time Most Valuable Player awardee Stephen Curry, and five-time All-Star Klay Thompson are done. From his vantage point, the so-called dynasty may be on its last legs, but it isn’t dead yet. Which, in a nutshell, means he wants another crack at the hardware with them. All the others, Poole included, are deemed expendable. Whether it’s possible under the stricter financial vise of the new collective bargaining agreement — and with the renewal of the contract of general manager Bob Myers still a big question mark — remains to be seen.
Under the circumstances, there can be no doubting that Kerr and Company want to run it back. They’re not keen on seeing failure as the last chapter of their storied reign in the league. In this vein, it’s fair to argue that Green and Thompson, both eligible for contract extensions, will be open to accepting Warriors-friendly terms. That said, their To Dos are clear, and, needless to say, require no small measure of commitment. They lack size and depth, and how they get to address both will ultimately determine their fate.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
