Steve Kerr echoes Draymond Green, Stephen Curry on trades mortgaging Warriors' future

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The Golden State Warriors find themselves at a crossroads as the February 6 trade deadline approaches. Head coach Steve Kerr has expressed caution about sacrificing the franchise's future for short-term success, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the organization’s integrity while navigating the current season.

In an interview with The Athletic's Anthony Slater, Kerr acknowledged the team’s struggles after a strong 12-3 start. The Warriors now sit at 19-20, holding the 12th seed in the Western Conference. Reflecting on potential trade scenarios, Kerr highlighted the challenges of balancing immediate competitiveness with long-term stability.

"That's the hard part in addressing all this stuff," Kerr said. "We're not giving in. But you have to be realistic organizationally about where you are. And you have to mind what's coming ahead in the future. I probably won't be around, but I would tell you, if this organization gave away the next six or seven drafts for a wild swing, that would be the most irresponsible thing that they could do."

Steve Kerr, Stephen Curry stress balance as Warriors navigate trade market cautiously 

So far, the Warriors' trade activity has been minimal. In mid-December, they acquired guard Dennis Schroder and a second-round draft pick from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for De’Anthony Melton, Reece Beekman, and multiple second-round picks. While the Warriors have shown reported interest in players like Jimmy Butler, Nikola Vucevic, and Jonas Valanciunas, the team remains hesitant to include young talent like Jonathan Kuminga in trade negotiations.

Kerr elaborated on the organization's approach, placing trust in general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. to navigate these complexities.

"This is a tricky spot," Kerr said. "Mike is incredibly sharp. We have a great organization. I have no doubt Mike will navigate it, and I'll help any way I can. We've got to try to give Steph every chance he has to perform. That's really important these last few years, whatever that means. But you don't give away the future."

Stephen Curry, at 36 years old, remains the cornerstone of the franchise. Fresh off a gold-medal run at the Paris Olympics, Curry signed a $62.6 million contract extension in the offseason. This season, he is averaging 22.7 points, 6.1 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game, shooting 44.8% from the field and 41% from three. Curry echoed Kerr's sentiment on the importance of safeguarding the team's future.

“There’s a responsibility of keeping the franchise in a good space (long term)," Curry said, per The Athletic. "If there was a situation that made sense for our team, I’m pretty sure we’d know about it. That’s how we’ve always operated."

Draymond Green laments potential risks, echoing Kerr’s caution on preserving Dubs’ future

Draymond Green also weighed in, reinforcing the collective mindset of the Warriors' leadership.

"The beautiful part about being in the space that we’re in is, Steve Kerr, Steph Curry, and myself all disagree with mortgaging off the future of this organization, saying that we’re going for it right now. Bad teams do that. Bad organizations do that. We’re not neither one," Green said.

He added, "If something is going to happen, it needs to be the right thing. We’re not going to jump and make the wrong decision because we panicked. That’s how you set your organization back five to seven years."

Kerr pointed out that the league's landscape includes a handful of dominant teams, such as the Cleveland Cavaliers (33-5), Oklahoma City Thunder (32-6), Boston Celtics (28-11), and Houston Rockets (26-12), all of whom lead their respective conferences.

"If you look at the league, there are four or five teams that are really above everyone else," Kerr said. "We're in the pack (below that). So I do think internally we can get better whether we make a move or not. I've watched it. I watched us start the season as a really elite two-way team. I know it's in us."

As the Warriors navigate a challenging season, Kerr remains steadfast in his commitment to the organization's values.

"I think it's really important these last couple of years that we handle ourselves with dignity and competitiveness and fight for everything," Kerr said. "Let's maintain the integrity of the operation. I think everybody is on board with that and aligned with that."

With the trade deadline looming, the Golden State Warriors must balance short-term aspirations with the long-term health of the franchise — a task Kerr and the team's leaders are determined to approach with caution.

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