Warriors head coach Steve Kerr spoke with NBA media members from the Warriors training camp in Hawaii regarding his roster, three-point shooting, and who needs to step up without long-time Warriors player Klay Thompson. Coach Kerr laid out his expectations for the type of team he envisions and what he sees from his players going into the season.
Warriors Head Coach Taps Three-Point Shooting as Season’s Key Element
Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr Emphasizes Shooting in Media Scrum
Kerr is vacationing in Hawaii alongside Warriors star Steph Curry and the squad as they prepare to meet the LA Clippers in a preseason game. Okay, maybe they’re not vacationing. But spending a chunk of your preseason in the Aloha State is a sweet deal, nonetheless.
Coach Kerr knows he’ll need major production from other places and players this season. One area he specified explicitly is from the three-point line. The championship coach spoke with the media after practice at Brigham Young Hawaii’s Cannon Activities Center on Oahu’s North Shore today. Kerr delved into his shooting expectations for a few of his players. He also touched on replacing the shooting guard position Thompson formerly held.
“…I want Wigs [Andrew Wiggins] shooting 6 or 7 threes a game, I want Brandin [Podziemski], I want Moses [Moody], I want DeAnthony [Melton]…I wanna be a high-volume three-point shooting team, I think that’s important for us.”
Kerr continued to speak on making up for the production that Thompson brought.
“…and the big shift is you know its Klay’s not here, right, so we were fourth in the league in three-point attempts last year, but Klay probably shot eight or 10 of them himself every game, so we’re going to have to fill that void and that’s going to come from multiple people.”
Making the Right Adjustments
When you lose a player such as Thompson—a player who shoots like he does and brings continuity, familiarity, and trust as he did in Golden State—adjustments must be implemented accordingly. That is the spot Coach Kerr finds himself in now. Of course, he still has Curry. Kerr doesn’t need to tell him what to do or where to go on the floor. However, with younger guys like Brandin Podziemski, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody and newcomers like De’Anthony Melton, Kerr’s coaching is still needed.
With Thompson out, it will be up to Curry to lead the way. In Andrew Wiggins’ case, he has been a considerable playoff performer for the Warriors, most notably during their 2022 championship run. However, he will need to refind his game. Last season for him was unfortunate and forgettable for reasons on and off the court. As for the role players, the Warriors upgraded their depth this season. This development was undertaken in favor of signing a big free agent or landing a similar-sized trade. How this off-season maneuvering will play out for the Warriors head coach is yet to be witnessed.
3’s Might Keep the Warriors in Play
Coach Kerr is staying dedicated to continuing the Warriors’ mantra of being a high-volume three-point shooting team this year. Their success from beyond the arc might be the one thing that keeps the Warriors in games and contention. Curry will do his thing; there is little doubt about that.
However, Golden State’s overall team success will depend on “the others” consistently knocking down their shots. If that route fails, who knows where Coach Kerr and the Dubs will find themselves down the line?
