Kerr not about to give up on coaching — Golden State’s Game 3 win against the
Portland Trail Blazers in the first round marked the last time Steve Kerr was on
the Warriors’ sideline. Since then, assistant coach Mike Brown has filled in for
Kerr and Golden State is in a third straight NBA Finals. Kerr is likely out for
Game 1 of The Finals and whether or not he’ll coach in the series remains in
doubt. But as Kerr recently told Tim Kawakami of The Mercury News, what isn’t in
doubt is whether or not he’ll ever coach again:
I started today hoping to talk to Nick — who Steve Kerr confirmed will be moving
to a video role with the San Antonio Spurs after this season — about going
through all this with his father and about the coaching profession.
As part of this, Steve Kerr agreed today to talk about what Nick has meant to
him … and then he also agreed to discuss his own situation at length, just two
days before Game 1 of the NBA Finals against Cleveland.
Kerr is clearly feeling better than he has since he left the team in late-April
— he ran practice today and yesterday for the first time, and took Brown’s place
for the coach’s media session yesterday when Brown had the flu.
But as Kerr explains, this is no easy decision, with time running out, and the
Finals are not just another bunch of games; also, he’s still not close to 100
percent.
I think you can hear how much Kerr is tempted to try, though. You can feel how
much he wants to coach these games, but he knows this is not something to rush.
-Q: You look better, for sure, the last few days. Has there been a step forward
the last few days?
-KERR: Yeah. Yeah. I’ve gotten a little better. Addressing the media yesterday,
running practice the last
couple days, it’s been better.
So that’s good. We’ll see where it goes.
-Q: Is it an energy-level thing? Can you describe what it is you’re evaluating
as you decide whether you can coach now?
-KERR: It’s a pain thing and the repercussions of pain. I’ve been dealing with
it for almost two years. I’ve been able to deal with it for the most part.
It’s not a cognitive thing. It’s not even really an energy thing. It’s a pain
thing. And the threshold is really important–what’s the threshold?
For whatever reason, I don’t know why, but a month ago, man, it got worse. You
could see it, I’m sure, interviewing me.
…
-Q: Is there any worry that coming back could mess it up a little bit?
-KERR: I don’t think it would. With our team I don’t think it would. Like I
said, we’re doing the same stuff.
I think just, it’s the Finals, there’s going to be a spotlight, is it a
distraction? Is it another storyline? Do we need to deal with all that?
I don’t know. Ultimately I don’t think I can worry about that. I’ve got to play
it by ear–if I’m feeling good I should coach and if I’m not feeling up to it,
then I shouldn’t. And it’s that simple.
-Q: Did you know Mike was going to be this good walking into it?
-KERR: Oh yeah. Yeah.
-Q: Just like that?
-KERR: He’s got so much head-coaching experience. And the best thing is this
didn’t happen in the beginning of the year. It happened in the end.
In the beginning of the year he didn’t understand our team. He really didn’t. It
was such a different vibe in here for him. ‘Why aren’t we calling more plays?’
(Laughs.)
I think about half-way through the year he came to me and just said, ‘Man, I get
it.’ It’s this balance between fun and work and discipline and craziness and
order and chaos. And we’re constantly trying to find that balance.
Because ultimately we’re better when we have a little hair on fire.
You know. You’ve seen our team now. It’s always a dance. And we want to walk the
line.
So I think Mike over the course of the year has really figured that out and he’s
done a great job with it–since the playoffs started–of calling plays at the
right time, making substitutions at a really good time, what he’s saying to the
team, what he’s not saying.
And he’s done a great job of navigating an awkward situation, where I’m still
the head coach, but he’s got to do what he thinks is right. And I’m not out
there with him.
I’m trying to do the right thing, just supporting him behind the scenes.
I mean, it’s as good a situation as we could have under the circumstances. But
that’s all based on the quality of people we have on the staff–that’s what makes
it work. It’s not just Mike, it’s JC, it’s Ron, it’s Q, CD, Nick, Willie.
What we have has already been established. We’re all in this together. Nobody’s
going to be coming to you going, ‘Psst, Steve would’ve called this play. I don’t
know what’s doing. Or vice-versa. That’s not happening here.’
…
-Q: I’ll ask you now: Can you say that you definitely will coach again at some
point?
-KERR: Hell yeah.
You know, it’s a little trickier, since this has been going on. I sort of
assumed all last year that by the summer I’d get this thing knocked out.
It’s been kind of a mystery and that’s what so frustrating. But I have every
intention to coach for a long time. It’s scary stuff and still hoping for a
better resolution to it.
-Q: No matter what happens in the Finals, will you be coaching the start of next
regular season?
-KERR: That’s the plan. But what’s the date–it’s May 30. I can’t promise
anything, neither can Bob (Myers). We have to figure everything out this summer.
It’s a very unique situation, a very difficult situation for me personally and
for Bob and Joe. It’s probably unprecedented.
One thing I know is that we’ll all work together. They’re going to want to do
what’s best for me, I’m going to want to do what’s best for them. We’ll figure
out whatever that is.
* * *
Fultz says he wants to be No. 1 pick — Whether they ultimately end up keeping
the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 Draft or, perhaps, trading it before hand or
on Draft night, the Boston Celtics have options with that selection. As they
weigh all that out, there’s still the very real possibility of the Celtics
deciding to take Washington’s Markelle Fultz, UCLA’s Lonzo Ball or any other top
prospect with the pick. For his part, Fultz wants to be in Boston come 2017-18,
writes Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com:
Washington point guard Markelle Fultz, the potential No. 1 pick of the NBA
draft, said Tuesday that he has had multiple conversations with Boston Celtics
president of basketball operations Danny Ainge since the draft combine earlier
this month and that he is hopeful he will be selected first overall on June 22.
“I’ve talked to Danny a few times, and they want to get me to come out there for
a visit,” Fultz told ESPN. “They just want to get a chance to know me better as
a person.”
“I want to be the No. 1 pick really bad,” Fultz added. “It’s been a dream of
mine since I was a little kid, and I feel like I would fit well in Boston.”
Fultz said he has yet to firm up a day when he will visit the Celtics, who
acquired the rights to the No. 1 pick through a 2013 trade with the Brooklyn
Nets. He will likely work out for management and coaches. He did meet with
Boston and a few other teams earlier this month while in Chicago before the
draft combine.
…
Fultz said he has never been to Boston, but he has watched the Celtics closely
through their postseason run that ended last week in the Eastern Conference
finals.
“I don’t know a ton about the city,” Fultz said. “I know the tradition the
franchise has, and that the fans are crazy.”
Fultz has developed a relationship with Celtics All-Star Isaiah Thomas, who also
attended the University of Washington. He said the pair met on his recruiting
visits and have stayed in touch since. Thomas, also a point guard, is coming off
a career season and has one year left on his contract.
“We can both play on or off the ball,” Fultz said. “We can both score and also
pass. I think we’d be great together. When we’ve talked since the lottery, we
haven’t really talked about basketball much. He’s been through a lot lately.”
* * *
Report: Lakers, Ball have workout scheduled — Two weeks ago today, news came
out that UCLA guard Lonzo Ball “politely” declined a pre-Draft workout for the
Boston Celtics. The word for months has been that Ball and his camp want the Los
Angeles Lakers — who hold the No. 2 overall pick — to take him on Draft night.
Whether that happens or not is up in the air, but he has set up a workout date
with the Lakers, writes Shams Charania of The Vertical:
Lonzo Ball will work out for the Los Angeles Lakers on June 7, the first step
toward possibly becoming the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft, league
sources told The Vertical.
Ball, 19, has scheduled his visit with his hometown team to meet with the front
office and coaches and participate in an individual workout. Ball had always
planned to conduct only a private individual workout because of his success in
his lone season at UCLA and never considered a one-on-one workout against
another top prospect, league sources said.
The Lakers’ front office worked with Ball’s agent, Harrison Gaines, to finalize
the workout details. The Lakers are the only predraft workout scheduled for Ball
as of now, but he could add one or two meetings with teams near the top of the
draft, league sources said.
…
For the Lakers, improving the roster’s culture and winning pedigree have been
emphasis points during the predraft process. Ball helped improve the Bruins from
a 15-17 record in 2015-16 to 31-5 this past season.
* * *
Report: Clippers interested in hiring Jerry West — NBA legend Jerry West is
just three days removed from his 79th birthday and is still going strong in
league circles. He’s currently working as an advisory role for the Golden State
Warriors — a job he has held for several years now — and, according to Marc
Stein of ESPN.com, the LA Clippers want him to leave his job there to be an
advisor for them:
The LA Clippers have expressed interest in hiring NBA legend Jerry West away
from the Golden State Warriors, sources told ESPN.
League sources told ESPN that the Clippers would like to bring West into their
organization in an advisory capacity, similar to the role he has held with the
Warriors since May 2011.
Other undisclosed teams, sources said, have made similar runs at West, who is
under contract with Golden State through July as a member of its executive board
and has been asked by Warriors owner Joe Lacob to stay with the franchise.
Lacob told the Mercury News earlier this month that — even though contract
talks with West have been postponed until after the looming NBA Finals — he is
determined not to lose him.
…
If the Clippers are successful in convincing West to leave the Warriors after a
six-year run, it would prove to be an undeniable booster shot for their
organization in terms of credibility and know-how.
* * *
Report: Bucks get permission to speak to front-office GM candidates — Just
weeks ago, the Magic hired away longtime Milwaukee Bucks GM John Hammond as
Orlando restructures a section of its front office. Since then, the Bucks have
had rumored interest in several candidates to fill Hammond’s role. As Adrian
Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports, the Bucks have gotten permission from
several other NBA front offices to speak to candidates on Milwaukee’s interview
list:
As assistant general manager Justin Zanik has started to operate the Milwaukee
Bucks on a day-to-day basis, the franchise was granted permission to speak to
several outside front-office executives in its search for a permanent GM, league
sources told The Vertical.
As a precursor to possible interviews, Milwaukee made calls on Tuesday to
inquire about Indiana vice president of basketball operations Peter Dinwiddie,
Denver assistant GM Arturas Karnisovas, Memphis Grizzlies VP of player personnel
Ed Stefanski and Atlanta Hawks special adviser to ownership Wes Wilcox, league
sources told The Vertical.
…
The Bucks have hired a search firm to assist in the process, and there are
expected to be more candidates contacted about the job, league sources told The
Vertical.
Zanik remains a strong internal candidate for the job, league sources told The
Vertical. He joined the Bucks in 2016 after three years as assistant GM of the
Utah Jazz.
…
Stefanski has history with Bucks coach Jason Kidd and team consultant Rod Thorn,
whom he worked closely with in New Jersey. Stefanski was Thorn’s top assistant
in the Nets’ run to consecutive NBA Finals appearances and led the Sixers to
three playoff appearances in four years as GM, including the drafting of Jrue
Holiday (No. 17 overall in 2009) and Nikola Vucevic (No. 16 overall in 2011).
…
Under Wilcox and president/coach Mike Budenholzer, the Hawks won 48 and 43 games
the past two seasons, replenishing the roster with young players and significant
assets moving forward, including 11 draft picks over the next three years.
Karnisovas was a finalist for the Brooklyn Nets GM job a year ago, finishing
runner-up to Sean Marks. Karnisovas, a two-time Olympic medalist for Lithuania,
has moved up rapidly in the NBA, including stops in the league office, Houston
and now under GM Tim Connelly in Denver.
…
Dinwiddie has risen in the Pacers’ front office and evolved into ownership’s and
ex-president Larry Bird’s personal choice – as well as new president of
basketball operations Kevin Pritchard’s choice – to move into a senior
front-office role with the Pacers. Dinwiddie has earned significant praise from
Bird and longtime Pacers president and consultant Donnie Walsh. Dinwiddie is
completing his 11th season with the Pacers.
* * *
SOME RANDOM HEADLINES: Joel Embiid stopped off at a local park to swat away
shots put up by kids … Taking a look at the long, strange NBA Finals journey
of Golden State Warriors assistant coach Mike Brown … Dallas Mavericks guard
J.J. Barea will spend part of his offseason coaching a team in his native Puerto
Rico … Minnesota’s recently purchased NBA D-League Team, the Iowa Energy, has
been renamed the Iowa Wolves …
