Warriors coach Steve Kerr might not return to the sidelines until the All-Star break, a Warriors player told ESPN's J.A. Adande on Wednesday's broadcast against the Clippers.
Warriors player says Steve Kerr might not return until February
Kerr is still recovering from multiple back surgeries.
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
“One player told me they wouldn’t be surprised if it takes him until after the All-Star break to return,” Adande said during a sideline report. “And they’re prepared to go that long without him.”
Kerr had back surgery in the offseason, but tried to return by training camp in a limited role. Soon after camp started, however, Kerr decided to take a leave of absence to rehabilitate before the season started.
“After the first two days of training camp, I realized I need to take a step back and focus on my rehabilitation in order to be ready for the grind of another NBA season,” Kerr said on a press release at the time.
No timetable for his return was provided. Luke Walton took over as interim coach through training camp and the first five games of the season, leading the Warriors to a 5-0 record. It looks like he will be at the helm for a while longer, as Kerr is still "far away" from returning, according to Adande.
"We had a chance to catch up with coach Kerr before the game and he still seemed very fatigued, told us he's dealing with headaches and is still heavily medicated," Adande reported during the broadcast. "Yet he did get a chance to talk to the team after its 50-point victory over the Memphis Grizzlies the other day. He joked with them that, 'It's obvious you guys need me.' Now, they took that as a good sign his sense of humor was back. But he's still far away."
Kerr's health is obviously the priority for everyone involved, as it should be. The Warriors have continuity on their side, with every rotation player from the championship run except David Lee returning for their title defense. They have looked even sharper than last season so far, so they can afford to be patient in this situation.
The All-Star game will be held on Feb. 14. If that’s indeed when Kerr returns, he would have two months to work with the team before the playoffs.
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