Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr appears content running it back with the same core as last year.
According to ESPN NBA reporter Anthony Slater, Kerr said the Warriors were “wise” not to mortgage their future for short-term upgrades.
“[Sometimes] not making a move can be the best thing to do for your future,” Kerr said. “And you keep stacking up good moves and eventually you pounce when you’re ready.”
Kerr was referring to the Warriors being reluctant to acquire top-tier talent during the offseason, as they missed out on acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, and Jaylen Brown.
On Wednesday, Logan Murdock of The Ringer reported that the Warriors had an opportunity to trade Jaylen Brown, but elected not to.
On July 15, Kerr was seen driving down the Las Vegas strip after an NBA Summer League game. A group of fans approached him and asked if the Warriors were going to sign James, to which Kerr responded by saying, “We got him.” He later revealed that he was joking with the fans and didn’t think the team was a contender for him, despite multiple reports indicating they were.
“I didn’t even think we were realistically in the running for LeBron,” Kerr said. “It’s just that everyone kept saying we were. It never seemed serious to me despite all the reports.”
Despite the Warriors coach appearing to be okay with running it back with an aging team that has a 38-year-old Stephen Curry, 36-year-old Draymond Green, and a 30-year-old Kristaps Porzingis who appeared in only 32 games last season, Golden State has been one of the more aggressive teams in recent years to trade away young talent in an attempt to win now.
In 2025, Golden State struck a blockbuster trade during the NBA trade deadline with the Miami Heat to acquire Jimmy Butler, in an attempt to help Curry win his fifth NBA Championship.
The Warriors were eliminated in the second round that season and didn’t do much better last year, as their season came to an end in a play-in loss to the Phoenix Suns, while Butler missed most of the season due to a torn ACL.
Slater added that in May, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy admitted that the team has been coming up short over the last two seasons not because of talent but because of injuries. He also noted that in April, Curry said he wants the Warriors to focus on building a foundation again.
Having the No.11 pick in the NBA Draft this offseason, Golden State showed their intentions by drafting Yaxel Lendeborg, who’s already made a great first impression. He helped lead the Warriors to a Summer League championship and was crowned the game’s MVP when he scored 21 points with 10 rebounds and 2 steals.
