Sleepy51 wrote:What I saw was a broken roster with a mixed mission to start the year. Win & develop may not be impossible, but you probably can't do both at any serious high level. We won a little and developed a little. That's about what was possible.
I saw Kerr try to develop a not NBA ready prospect with mixed results, but clear progress occurring right at the moment JW's injury happened. I saw him try to maximize a low IQ, historically negative, high $ free agent acquisition by putting him in the limited positions where he could succeed for us. I saw Kerr recognize and make space for Jordan Poole to bring his talent to the NBA stage while also trying to help Poole learn how to play with Curry and within the system. I saw Andrew Wiggins become a DOMINANT defender and more than passable contributor to a contender next season basically erasing the negative asset stigma attached to the remaining years on Wiggins contract. I saw Kerr try to protect and preserve Curry as much as possible, while letting him have room to win a scoring title and come in a likely 2nd for MVP (and still Curry ended up gassed in the extra frames of the two most consequential games.) I would say unequivocally that the much maligned Curry substitution patter was largely vindicated. Curry's rest schedule clearly improved Curry's ability to be effective in closing minutes of halves and games. Playing him more resulted in getting less in the final moments. I saw our bench actually get meaningfully better at playing Warriors basketball during the 8 man run. The guys with high IQ's were able to move the ball and create a number of great shots by passing on the good shot and I saw them actually WIN bench minutes a few times down the stretch. That progress was all on coaching and all on commitment to our system despite all the voices clamoring for more Hardenball to make life easier on the dummies.
OTOH, I saw WAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY too much Wannamaker. Too much trust in Bazemore. Not enough trust in Lee. No development of any ancillary skills in Paschall (probably more on the player than the coach, but Kerr is in the big chair.) A broken development strategy for Wiseman for much of the year (but possibly a front office mandate rather than a coaching choice). I saw in game and playcall mistakes, some of which he admitted to. I saw way too much sensitivity and pride in the media, trying to "win the argument in the press" (take another page out of Pop's book coach and don't coach your team in the press...at all.)
Overall, I saw a pretty good coaching job amidst pretty difficult circumstances, with some missteps. Certainly nothing firing-worthy.
I doubt he's even on the hotseat next year. Myers would most assuredly go first. If Meyers does have a "failure" offseason and gets the axe after another season limited by the roster, only then would Kerr be next in line (only because Lacob can't fire himself.)
Very balanced and good analysis.