Steve Kerr is no longer sugarcoating the Golden State Warriors’ place in the NBA hierarchy. Speaking on the Tom Tolbert Show, the longtime head coach offered a candid assessment of where his team stands as the Western Conference continues to tilt toward younger, rising powers.
“We just want a chance,” Kerr said. “Last year, we gave ourselves a chance. We know we’re not where we were five or six years ago, but we did win a championship three years ago and that felt like a post-glory-years title. We weren’t ourselves, but we were good enough to give ourselves a swing at the plate. Everything fell our way and we went and got a ring.”
Kerr’s comments reflect a noticeable shift in tone from past seasons, when championship aspirations were treated as a given. Now, the emphasis is no longer on dominance, but on opportunity. For Golden State, success is measured less by preseason expectations and more by whether the door remains cracked open when April arrives.
“Last year was pretty cool,” Kerr said. “Then Steph got hurt in Minnesota and we lost. But to go on that run, to beat Houston, that’s what we want this year and there’s no reason why we can’t give ourselves that opportunity. I don’t want anybody to think that we’re all delusional and thinking we should be competing for titles year in and year out with San Antonio and Oklahoma City the next few years. That’s not realistic.”
For nearly a decade, the Warriors were the standard. From 2015 through 2019, Golden State redefined modern basketball with spacing, pace, and defensive versatility, winning three championships and reaching five straight NBA Finals. Even after injuries and roster turnover, the franchise squeezed out one final title run in 2022, a championship Kerr now openly frames as a post-dynasty triumph.
Since then, the decline has been gradual but undeniable. Between key departures (Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson), aging core pieces, and limited roster flexibility, time has caught up with Golden State. Meanwhile, teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are building sustainable contenders around young stars, deep rotations, and long-term planning. At eighth in the West (18-16), the Warriors are no longer chasing the future, they are trying to survive in it.
While it may be tough for fans to hear, Kerr’s honesty cuts through years of unrealistic expectations. The Warriors are not tanking, but they are no longer positioned to bully the league the way they once did. Their path forward is narrower, dependent on health, matchup luck, and internal growth. In that context, Kerr’s message is clear: Golden State is not chasing dynasties anymore. They are chasing relevance and hoping that one more swing is still within reach.
