Steve Kerr opens up about new-look Warriors, what went wrong last year

Entering the 2022-23 NBA season, the Golden State Warriors weredetermined to defend their title.

However, after a season full of ups and downs, the Warriorsultimately earned the sixth seed in the Western Conference and wereeliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of theplayoffs.

This has been a busy offseason for the Warriors, and thefranchise will look different (on and off the court) next year.General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. took over the front office afterthe departure of Bob Myers, and he didn't wait long to startputting his fingerprints all over the roster.

While the core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and DraymondGreen will be back, the Warriors added veterans Chris Paul, CoryJoseph and Dario Saric as well as rookies Brandin Podziemski (No.19 overall) and Trayce Jackson-Davis (No. 57 overall). Jordan Poolewas dealt to the Washington Wizards (along with Ryan Rollins andPatrick Baldwin Jr.), and Donte DiVincenzo signed with the New YorkKnicks.

The Warriors made it clear that their top priority this summerwas retaining Green, and they gave him a four-year, $100 millioncontract. While the Warriors could have gone younger, they insteaddecided to add veterans and chase their fifth championship in 10years.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr recently opened up about whatwent wrong last season, taking some of the blame for the team'sstruggles.

“I will say that I feel like I failed last year in connectingthe group,” Kerr told Shayna Rubin of the San JoseMercury-News. “I have taken a lot of time this summer to thinkabout last year, things I could have and should have donedifferently. I really believe that sometimes losing sort of forcesyou to reassess and reevaluate and I’m excited about coming backnext year with a renewed focus and energy and spirit from theentire group. And that starts with me, and I can’t wait.”

Green punching Poole during training camp likely had asignificant impact behind the scenes. Kerr's comment also lines upwith a recent report from Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area thatGreen and Jonathan Kuminga don't have a relationship, but theWarriors hope that can be resolved.

"[Green and Kuminga not having a relationship] is a problem andit can only be fixed by Draymond," Monte Poole said on 95.7 The Game. "The newcontract implies the Warriors believe he can fix it, but around theleague there are a lot of people saying, 'I don't know.'"

Kerr also opened up about Golden State's recent additions. Whenasked if Paul will start (as he's done throughout his wholecareer), Kerr said that the decision will come later.

“All of that will happen in training camp,” Kerr told Rubin. “Until we geteveryone on the floor, we won’t be able to assess what’s best forour team and how everything is going to look. But I’m veryconfident that it’s going to work out. We got great guys and we gotchampions, great competitors. There’s one goal next year, andthat’s to win at the highest possible level. Everything else willunfold as the season does.”

Kerr seems excited about the additions of Joseph and Saric aswell.

“We needed guys like Saric and Cory Joseph who have been throughthe NBA rigors and understand what it means to be a leader from themiddle of the roster and how important that is,” Kerr told Rubin, later adding, “Mikereally recognized that was an area we needed help, so he went outwithout many resources and fortified our roster and put us inposition moving forward...

“He understands that we have a window that’s still open. I thinkhe’s fortified our roster with some really good veteran players andveteran leaders and balanced out the roster to where we have abetter ratio of vets to young guys.”

The Warriors can never be counted out as contenders, and it'scertainly possible that their dynastic run will continue.