The Golden State Warriors crashed out of the playoffs with a blowout loss to the Lakers in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals. It capped a disappointing season for the Warriors, who went from reigning champions to a struggling six-seed.
After their elimination, head coach Steve Kerr admitted that they were not a "championship team" this season. There are a lot of things that went wrong for the Warriors. These include a dismal record on the road and some of the worst transition efficiency in the league. Despite these on-court factors, Kerr has pointed to something else to explain the Warriors' slump.
Kerr Says Trust Was Never "Rebuilt" After Practice Fight
In October 2022, it was reported that during a Warriors practice, Draymond Green and Jordan Poole had gotten into a physical altercation. Green spent a week away from the team. But more importantly, according to Kerr, it caused the team to lose trust in one another. "Anytime some trust is lost, then it makes the process much more difficult, and there was some trust lost." Kerr, speaking at his exit interview, continued. "That's as blunt as I can be. We have to get back to what has made us really successful, which is a really trusting environment and a group that relies on one another and makes each other better."
However, he went on to specifically call out the Green-Poole fight as the inciting incident. "There's no hiding from it -- the incident with Draymond and Jordan at the beginning of the year played a role in that," Kerr said. "It's hard for that not to impact a team." However, Kerr stated that he is eager to rebuild that trust and move forward with both players on the team. "Look, if Draymond is not back, we're not a championship contender," Kerr said. "We know that. He's that important to winning and to who we are. I absolutely want him back." 2023/24 is a player option year for Green, meaning that his future with the Warriors lies solely with him.
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