Steve Kerr: Draymond Green’s return crucial for Warriors title hopes

SANFRANCISCO (AP) — Coach Steve Kerr was frank about the lastingimpact that Draymond GreenpunchingJordan Poolein a preseason practice had on the GoldenState Warriors’ season.

He was justas forceful about how important it is that Green return to theWarriors next season if they’re to have any hope of getting back tothe top of the NBA.

“IfDraymond is not back, we’re not a championship contender,” Kerrsaid at his season-ending news conference Tuesday. “We know that.He’s that important to winning and to who we are. I absolutely wanthim back.”

Green’sfuture is one of the many key questions facing the Warriors thisoffseason after they wereknockedout of the playoffsby the Los Angeles Lakers in thesecond round.

The33-year-old Green has a $27.6 million player option for next seasonand could choose to opt out in order to get another lucrativelong-term deal.

Green hassaid he wants to remain with Golden State andmakea run at a fifth championshipwith teammates Stephen Curryand Klay Thompson.

He has beenintegral to the Warriors’ success as an elite defensive stopperable to guard all sorts of players and a playmaker on offense whohelps set up Curry and Thompson for their 3-point shots.

But Greenalso has a volatile side that showed up again whenhepunched Poole in practicein October and when he stompedon the chest of Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis to earnaone-gamesuspensionin the first round.

“He knowsthat he had a great season this year, from a basketballperspective, but he knows that he also compromised things by whathappened back in October,” Kerr said. “So part of him coming backnext year has to be about rebuilding some of that trust and respectthat he’s earned here for a long period of time.

“One thingI love about Draymond is he’s always brutally honest, and he cantake that sort of critique because he knows it’s the truth. I wanthim back. I think we all want him back.”

Kerr saidthe punch challenged the cohesive culture the Warriors have createdover the years and that contributed to winning four championshipsin an eight-year period.

He said theseason got off on the wrong track and the team never fullyrecovered, despite showing some signs late in the regular seasonand when rallying back from a 2-0 series deficit against theKings.

“Anytimesome trust is lost, then it makes the process much more difficult,and there was some trust lost,” Kerr said. “That’s as blunt as Ican be.”

Rebuildingthat is one of the big tasks facing the Warriors, along with theirefficiency in transition, being able to defend without fouling andgetting more out of the group of young players who need tocomplement the championship trio of Curry, Thompson and Green.

Pooleregressed in the playoffs after playing a key role in last year’stitle run and averaging 20.4 points per game in the regularseason.

He shot34.1% in the playoffs, averaged only 10.3 points per game andplayed only 21.8 minutes per game because of the struggles. Kerrsaid he still considers Poole one of the “foundation” pieces of thefranchise.

Second-yearplayers Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody also were unable toestablish consistent roles, with Kuminga barely getting on thecourt in the postseason and Moody providing some flashes in spotduty.

“You’retrying to raise young guys and teach them good habits and teachthem how to win, and you’re hoping your veteran players can helpmentor those guys, and you put all that stuff in place,” Kerr said.“Last year we won the championship, this year we lost in the secondround, so you can fit the narrative however you want, but everyyear is going to present different challenges, and you just have tomeet those and do everything you can to help the team.”

TheWarriors also have some questions to deal with in terms ofmanagement with general manager Bob Myers’ contract expiring at theend of next month and Kerr about to enter the final year of hisdeal.

Kerr saidhe’s not worried about his future right now and is focused insteadon Myers, whom he hopes remains with the team.

“Right nowBob’s contract situation is number one because that influences alot of the player decisions that have to be made, contracts, draft,free agency,” Kerr said. “We will get to my stuff whenever thathappens, and I’m in no rush for that.”