Warriors GM Bob Myers On Steve Kerr: “When He Does Come Back, We Want Him To Stay Back”

WARRIORS PRACTICE FACILITY, OAKLAND, CA — Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers immediately addressed reporters at the end of practice three days ago and announced that Luke Walton would coach the team’s season opener in three days at Oracle Arena against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Meanwhile, Steve Kerr will continue his back surgery rehabilitation. The complications include headaches, which affect Kerr’s ability to give what he desires as 100% during practice, let alone games.

“When he does come back, we want him to stay back,” said Myers of Kerr. “Like a player, get some practices in prior to stepping into a game.”

There was still no timetable. “Even if you ask Steve, he doesn’t know,” Myers added.

Because the team expects Kerr to be back at some point, Myers said there was no need to go out and hire additional coaching staff help.

“(Walton’s) not intimidated by the NBA,” said Myers. “This is the coaching staff. We do believe Steve will be back. He believes he’ll be back. So we have confidence in these guys and players will probably have to step up a little more.”

Myers said Kerr will attend opening night because of the championship ring ceremony, but that whether or not Kerr stays at the arena depends on how Kerr is feeling at that moment, and is obviously unpredictable at this point.

Ironically, all three head coaches under Myers’ tenure with the Warriors — Mark Jackson, Kerr, and now Walton — have not had prior coaching experience. Myers joked about it:

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Further resources:

• VIDEO: Warriors GM Bob Myers announces that Luke Walton will coach the 2015-16 season opener
• VIDEO: Bob Myers discusses Steve Kerr’s attendance at the season opener
• VIDEO: Bob Myers jokes that the Warriors like coaches with no experience (Luke Walton)
• “‘He played many years for a reason,’ center Andrew Bogut said of Walton. ‘He’s very, very smart. His basketball IQ is up there with anybody’s in this league. I don’t think he’ll have any trouble. Our coaching staff’s great, our practices really haven’t changed a whole lot.’
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  Though Kerr occasionally has spent time with the team – he was with the Warriors for much of their recent weeklong, three-game trip to Southern California – he generally has left coaching duties to Walton and the rest of the staff.
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  ‘Steve will stay engaged . . . and he’ll still be talking to Luke frequently, as much as he’d like,’ Myers said. ‘And Luke, I’m sure will be very receptive to whatever comments Steve has to add.'” — Monte Poole, CSN Bay Area
• “Myers said Kerr is improving in his recovery from two offseason back surgeries, but he’s not ready to coach the Warriors in a game. Myers compared the impact to losing an All-Star player to injury, resulting in a ‘diminished’ team no matter how capable the replacement.
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  ‘We’re well aware this is going to be an obstacle, a hurdle,’ Myers said. ‘Maybe there’s a silver lining in the team growing from facing some early adversity. We didn’t face a lot last year.'” — Ron Kroichick, San Francisco Chronicle
• “Kerr had back surgery July 28 to repair an injury he suffered while coaching in the NBA Finals. During the surgery, the dura around his spine was cut, causing a spinal fluid leak. A subsequent surgery was performed Sept. 4 to repair the issue.
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  As a result of the original leak, Kerr has been dealing with painful headaches, with little indication as to when they will subside.
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  ‘Basketball is everything he’s ever known and loved,’ Myers said. ‘So you can relate to that. You can know he’d do anything to be out here in full capacity.’
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  ‘When he first stepped away, my gut told me he’d be back by the start of the season,’ the 35-year-old assistant (Walton) said Saturday. ‘But my gut was wrong.'” — Sherwood Strauss, ESPN.com

(Photo: @letsgowarriors Instagram account via @poormanscommish/NBAE-Getty)