Former NBA All-Star Calls Out Warriors HC Steve Kerr

Newsweek

23-05-2025

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As the Golden State Warriors get ready for a crucial offseason, one of the biggest questions around the team is what the future holds for forward Jonathan Kuminga. Kuminga is scheduled to be a restricted free agent this summer, and there has been a lot of speculation around his status with the team.
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The Warriors want to bring back Kuminga, but his price tag could force the team's hand. There will be plenty of teams interested in his services, and it could see a bidding war take place.
But one former NBA All-Star and Warriors player believes that Golden State head coach Steve Kerr could be to blame if Kuminga does depart. DeMarcus Cousins gave his thoughts on the matter.
"I think they lost Kuminga. I think Steve Kerr ruined that relationship this year with the DNPs," Cousins said on Run It Back. "We've seen this happen time and time again when it comes to him and dealing with young talent. "He just doesn't handle young talent well. He doesn't develop. Out of the years he's been there, we've seen one guy develop under Steve Kerr, and they ran him off as well, that was Jordan Poole. When it comes to young talent, I just don't think that he handles it well."
"Steve Kerr ruined that relationship with the DNP's...he just doesn't handle young talent well, he doesn't develop."@boogiecousins says Jonathan Kuminga will probably be on the move this offseason because Steve Kerr doesn't develop young talent, outside of Jordan Poole!
Do you... pic.twitter.com/95ojJJORuf — Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) May 22, 2025
Cousins played under Kerr for a short time, and it seems that he isn't a fan. Kerr has seen impressive success with the Warriors, but a lot of that was more inherited than anything.
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Kerr didn't develop players such as Steph Curry, Draymond Green, or Klay Thompson. But he did figure out how to manage each of them together and find the recipe to win as a group, which is never easy to do.
Head Coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second quarter in Game Five of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Target Center on May...
Head Coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second quarter in Game Five of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Target Center on May 14, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. More
Photo byEven if Kerr didn't develop the players, he still gets a lot of credit for winning four titles in Golden State. Kerr is one of the better coaches in the NBA, and he has proven that for over a decade at this point.
Whether Kuminga returns or not likely has nothing to do with Kerr. Rather, it will depend on how much money the Warriors' front office is willing to spend on him this offseason.
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