Kerr's first postseason loss to a Western Conference team may lead to a Warriors rebuild
The Golden State Warriors were eliminated from the playoffs by the Los Angeles Lakers, losing the series 2-4, according to reports from US media Kerr's first postseason loss to a Western Conference team may lead to a Warriors rebuild
The Golden State Warriors were eliminated from the playoffs by the Los Angeles Lakers, losing the series 2-4, according to reports from US media.
This is the first time since Steve Kerr became the head coach of the Warriors in the 2014-15 season that they have lost to a Western Conference team in the playoffs. This defeat could potentially lead to a rebuild of the Warriors' roster in the upcoming 2024 season.
Steve Kerr, who is 57 years old, has been coaching the Warriors since the 2014-15 season. Prior to this series against the Lakers, the Warriors had a perfect 19-0 record against Western Conference teams in the playoffs. This means that whenever the Warriors made it to the postseason, they would always reach the NBA Finals and have won the championship four times.
Although the Warriors finished the regular season in 6th place, avoiding the play-in tournament, they had a tough first-round series against the Sacramento Kings, a team with little playoff experience. They only managed to advance after a hard-fought Game 7. Looking at the Warriors' core rotation, it is unlikely that they would trade their star player Stephen Curry, whose contract runs until 2026. However, Klay Thompson, one of the "Splash Brothers," is likely to be a target for trade by the team.
According to a report from US sports media outlet "Legion Hoops," Thompson will be in the final year of his contract next year, earning a salary of up to $43.21 million (approximately 1.34 billion New Taiwan dollars). Although the Warriors have the option to extend his contract, there have been rumors that the team wants the 33-year-old Thompson to take a pay cut for the extension.
Furthermore, according to a report from US sports news website "The Athletic," Draymond Green has a player option for the next season, but he must decide whether to exercise it by June 30, 2023. Although the Warriors are interested in re-signing him, it is not guaranteed that they would offer him a maximum contract. If Green becomes a free agent, there are likely to be many teams interested in acquiring him.
In addition to the three main starters, Jonathan Kuminga, who only played an average of 6.3 minutes per game in the series against the Lakers, has expressed some dissatisfaction. His agent revealed to "The Athletic" that if Kuminga is not included in the Warriors' future plans, he hopes to be traded to a team that will give him more opportunities.
In the Western Conference playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the defending champions Golden State Warriors with a final score of 122-101. The Lakers will now face the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers had a 3-2 advantage going into the game and outperformed the Warriors in various aspects. LeBron James had 30 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists, while Anthony Davis contributed 17 points and 20 rebounds. Austin Reaves made 4 out of 5 three-pointers, scoring a total of 23 points for the Lakers. On the Warriors' side, despite Stephen Curry's game-high 32 points and Andrew Wiggins playing despite a rib injury, Klay Thompson struggled, and the team's three-point shooting was inefficient, making only 13 out of 48 attempts. The Lakers led by 5 points at the end of the first quarter and extended their lead to 10 points by halftime. In the second half, the Lakers continued to dominate, and the Warriors couldn't catch up. The Lakers secured a 14-point lead going into the fourth quarter and maintained their advantage until the end of the game.
As the 7th seed in the Western Conference, the Lakers defeated the 2nd seed Memphis Grizzlies in the first round and eliminated the 6th seed Warriors in the second round. They will now face the top-seeded Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. It is rare for the NBA playoffs to have both the Eastern and Western Conference Finals featuring 7th or 8th seeds. In the Eastern Conference, the 8th seed Miami Heat also advanced to the conference finals by eliminating the New York Knicks.