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Steve Kerr Admits Warriors Can’t ‘Stand Pat’ As Trade Deadline Approaches

The Golden State Warriors are still looking for a piece to get back to their championship ways.

Tyler Lauletta

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr walks up the court.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr walks up the court. / Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
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The Golden State Warriors are facing some big decisions as the NBA trade deadline approaches.

Currently sitting at 24–24 and a half-game out of the play-in tournament in an extremely crowded Western Conference, the Warriors know that they might need to make a move before next Thursday.

Ahead of the Warriors game against the Phoenix Suns on Friday, head coach Steve Kerr stated the franchise's situation in plain terms.

“We don’t have enough to separate ourselves from the rest of the West,” Kerr told reporters. “We’re not in a position where we can just say, ‘We’re good. Let’s stand pat.’ That’s the reality of where we are.”

Kerr added that he knew general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. was doing his “due diligence,” and noted that while he knew the team needed to improve, any move would also have to be in the interest of the grander future of the franchise.

“If there’s something that makes sense, he’s going to do it,” Kerr said of Dunleavy. “If not, then I’m very comfortable going forward with this team, because I know what we’re capable of and I believe in the guys. We’ll hopefully try to capture a little momentum here. We have an opportunity for that.”

After the Warriors dropped Friday’s contest against the Suns 130–105, Stephen Curry was asked about Kerr’s comments, and did his best to stay mum, while still heavily implying that he was in favor of a move being made.

“It’s not for me to make those decisions. I want to win. So whatever it means to do that,” Curry said. Asked if he would ever use his influence as a superstar to lean on the front office and push for a trade to be made, Curry laughed off the question.

“Y’all will never know about that. We have conversations all the time,” Curry said. “I want to win. That’s not my job. I’m not a coach, I’m not a GM, I’m not an owner. It’s pretty clear where I stand on trying to make whatever necessary adjustments are to win.”

While the Warriors are currently in 11th in the West, they are also just five games behind the Denver Nuggets for fifth place in the conference. The margins are thin, and as the teams prepare for a push to the postseason, it’s clear that every game is going to count when it comes to seeding.

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine is currently seen as one of the bigger names that Golden State could target in a potential deal, but bringing him to the Warriors would likely demand a substantial bit of talent in return. They have less than a week to figure it out.

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Tyler Lauletta
TYLER LAULETTA

Tyler Lauletta is a staff writer for the Breaking and Trending News Team/team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI, he covered sports for nearly a decade at Business Insider, and helped design and launch the OffBall newsletter. He is a graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia, and remains an Eagles and Phillies sicko. When not watching or blogging about sports, Tyler can be found scratching his dog behind the ears.

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