Steve Kerr pondered a question from a local Salt Lake City reporter before a recent game in Utah.
If the Warriors’ coach was commissioner for a day, what would he change about the league? Kerr, never having been shy to share his opinion on a variety of topics pertaining to both basketball and politics, took a moment to consider the query.
Then, for the second time this season, Kerr proposed a radical idea that will almost certainly never come to fruition, regardless of who is in charge of the league.
“I know this will not be a popular opinion in the league office, but I will continue to say it. It’s obvious we need to play fewer games,” Kerr said. “We need to take 10 games off the schedule. I think it would be great for the league.”
He then followed up with why a change from the 82-game regular season slate – plus in-season tournament and play-in games – will probably never happen.
“I get its revenue and you’d have to get everyone agree to take a little less money and it’s a really hard thing to do,” Kerr said.
Those who have been paying attention to the Warriors this season were not surprised by Kerr’s statements. Back in late October, he responded to Michael Jordan’s criticisms of load management by opining that the only solution is fewer games.
“We all know what the only real answer is, and that’s to shorten the season,” Kerr said in Milwaukee, before pausing and sarcastically adding, “Good luck.”
One look at the Warriors’ recent loss 119-113 to the Jazz lent credence to Kerr’s logic.
The Warriors entered the game with its top three offensive players all out: Jimmy Butler was lost for the season with a torn ACL, Steph Curry has dealt with runner’s knee for over a month, and Kristaps Porzingis is on a strict minutes limit and is unable to play in back-to-backs.
On top of this, Golden State had starting wings Will Richard and Moses Moody were both out. De’Anthony Melton was stuck playing 20 minutes as the Warriors hope to keep the veteran guard healthy as he returns to full strength following an ACL tear.
All year, Kerr and the medical staff have had to manage lineups and rotations in a losing effort to keep players healthy.
Kerr and other observers have blamed the league’s increased pace for the injuries, along with players having to cover more ground per game because of the proliferation of the 3-point shot and motion offenses.
In 2005-06, the league’s average pace was a glacial 90.5. During the 2015-16 season, the NBA’s pace was just 95.8.
This season, it is all the way up to 99.3, with the top teams in the league clearing triple-digits. That adds up to even more possessions, hard cuts, and miles run over an 82-game season.
Take the Chicago Bulls as a prime example of the injury epidemic sweeping the league. The Warriors’ opponent on Tuesday entered the game with 11 players on the injury list when it arrived in the Bay Area.
“What I know about the league and coaching and how it’s hard it is to play the modern game with the pace and space, I think it would be a more competitive and healthier league if we played fewer games,” Kerr said.
Injuries should have derailed the Warriors’ chances of making the postseason, but ninth-seeded Golden State is all but guaranteed to make the play-in regardless of how wretched the rest of their season goes.
Just look at the rest of the teams below them.
The victorious Jazz may have actually bemoaned the result, having willfully sat a perfectly-healthy Keyonte George late in the game in order to add another loss and better odds in the draft lottery.
The Grizzlies and Mavericks both traded stars at the deadline and are obviously hoping to find success in the draft, not the postseason.
Even if the Warriors are passed up by the Blazers, there is no realistic shot Golden State falls below the No. 10 seed.
So, like it or not, the Kerr’s Warriors will trudge through a season he believes is too long and still make the playoffs ….. Even if their best players are unable to play for a reason Kerr says is avoidable.