after the WarriorsThe NBA title defense ended in a 122-101 loss in the Western Conference Semifinals of Game 6 Friday night to the Lakers, and Coach Steve Kerr gave a stark assessment of the season as a whole and a playoff elimination.
There’s no arguing that this was one of the more difficult seasons Golden State has had under Kerr for the better part of the last decade, as the team really had to play well over the course of the regular season to make it to the playoffs. .
With that in mind, Kerr believes this Warriors team has maximized its potential.
“I think I’m more focused on what went right, to be honest with you,” Kerr said when asked what went wrong this season. “The way the season started, we were disjointed and had that wild ride from 0-5 and felt like we were swimming upstream from the start. I think we found ourselves bottom of the stretch and in the first round of the playoffs. To be fair, I think this team hit Ultimately, the maximum.
Despite believing the team had reached the limit of its potential, Kerr was pleased with the Warriors’ late-season push despite a failing championship defense.
“I think we’ve barely been in the supplement picture for most of the year,” Kerr said. “So, to do that push, to get there, to win the epic first-round series and then give the Lakers a fight in the series and get our chances, that puts us among the top eight teams in the league. That’s probably where we need to be. This isn’t a championship team. If we are, we will move on.”
Steve Kerr Bigger Picture of the Season: “This isn’t a championship team. If that’s the case, we’ll move on.” pic.twitter.com/ex8pa3ut24
– Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) May 13, 2023
While some are operating under the notion that the Warriors’ decade-long streak that delivered four championships is over, perhaps Golden State can retool its stars for another run next year and into the future. Curry still plays at the All-NBA level, and Klay Thompson and Draymond Green still have a lot of good basketball going for them.
Although Green can opt out of his existing contract this offseason and become a free agent, he made it clear with reporters Friday night that he wants to end his career as a Warrior.
This offseason brings up a lot of questions, from the future of the Green to the future of Warriors general manager Bob Myers, but another Golden State championship run with the current core can’t be counted.