Golden State is out of the NBA playoffs and major personnel changes are expected in the wake of the unceremonious exit. Coach Steve Kerr is surely isn’t going anywhere since last February, he signed a $35 million two-year contract extension that is secured until 2025-26. Whether the renewal was premature or not, as it came before the regular season ended with the Warriors’ fate still up in the air, is futile to debate. The fact is the deal was inked.
Since the NBA was established as the Basketball Association of America in 1946-47, the Warriors franchise (initially based in Philadelphia) has collected seven championships, the latest in 2021-22 so the memories of celebration are still fresh in the minds of Bay Area fans. Losing to Sacramento by 24 in the KO play-in tournament the other day was a painful blow considering before the game, Golden State had won four of its last five and the Kings had lost three of its last four. For the Warriors to make the playoffs, they had to beat Sacramento then eliminate Chicago. They didn’t even make it to first base.
Kerr’s small-ball style has become out of date with the reemergence of bigs dominating the NBA. Despite an undersized lineup, Golden State led the league in rebounding at the end of this regular season with the Warriors crashing the boards by committee. But in a one-game KO showdown, you throw away the stat books and focus on the matchups that make a difference. Realizing Sacramento’s advantage with 6-10 Domas Sabonis at center, Kerr started 6-9 Trayce Jackson-Davis and as expected, the rookie bombed out. He’s too raw to face up to the pressure of a KO game. Kerr went to 6-9 Kevon Looney to anchor the middle but he, too, wasn’t adequate. While Kerr anticipated the Kings to power inside, Sacramento coach Mike Brown adjusted the offense to blast from outside. The result was resoundingly positive for the Kings who hit 18 threes to Golden State’s 10. Sacramento’s defense was just as impactful as the Warriors were forced into 16 turnovers and 19 assists, 10 less than their average. Brown outcoached Kerr in the trenches.
The sore spot in Kerr’s rotation was Klay Thompson who went scoreless in 32 minutes as a starter, missing 10 field goals, including six from beyond the arc. Thompson, 34, will be an unrestricted free agent after this season and may be on the way out. In the process of cleansing Golden State’s wounds, he’s a convenient sacrificial lamb and scapegoat. Besides, his $43.2 million annual salary is too hefty to carry on the payroll. Thompson’s forgettable showing in the loss to Sacramento will weigh heavily in the decision of whether or not to retain half of the Splash Brothers. Another downside is Thompson’s 17.9 scoring clip this season, his lowest in 10 years. During the season, Thompson didn’t start in 14 games as Kerr tested a new role coming off the bench. He started in every game in his last nine years.
Another possible offseason casualty is Chris Paul who’s 38 and the league’s third oldest player after LeBron James and PJ Tucker. He’s on a non-guaranteed $30 million contract for next season and the Warriors could use the cap space to find a younger, more productive player. The future is still unclear for the Warriors and the only thing that appears to be certain is there will be drastic changes made.