Steve Kerr Assures There is ‘No Delusion’ in Warriors Camp Regarding Championship Dreams

Head coach Steve Kerr was honest about his team's chances of contending for the NBA Championship.

Steve Kerr Assures There is ‘No Delusion’ in Warriors Camp Regarding Championship Dreams

Steve Kerr (Image credits - Firstsportz)

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It has been a rough start to the 2025-26 campaign for head coach Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors. They have just lost their third game in three meetings against the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Warriors suffered a blowout 131-94 loss to the Thunder at the Chase Center on Friday night.

The Dubs headed into the game without their star trio of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green as they sat out for their first night of a back-to-back. It was their fifth loss in 15 games at home this season.

The loss dropped the Warriors to 18-17 as they currently find themselves at eighth in the Western Conference standings, while the Thunder sit at the top with a 30-5 record and extended their winning streak to four games.

It was a tough night for head coach Steve Kerr who was in the headlines over a week ago for his fallout with Green during their game against the Orlando Magic. Without his star players to count on against the Thunder, Kerr’s options were very limited, especially on the offensive end.

No player even reached the 15-point mark for the Warriors while reigning league MVP and the frontrunner for this year’s MVP award, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a game-high 30 points to go along with seven assists.

The veterans Curry, Green and Butler are all in the backend of their careers. While Curry is still averaging 28.7 points per game, he does not have the same impact on winning like he once did. Over the last 10 years, the Warriors dynasty made it to six NBA Finals and won four championships.

Championship aspirations were a given before the start of the season, but things have changed now as they are a shadow of the team they once were. Hence, many pundits believe that the Warriors’ time is over now and they may even struggle to make it to the playoffs this year.

Kerr made an appearance on the Tom Tolbert Show and was candid about the Warriors’ chances this season.

We just want a chance. 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. 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.

Despite being past their primes, it is good to see the Warriors not tanking and still trying to compete for a chance this season. If their roster stays healthy, the Dubs nation will hope that there is one final hoorah waiting for them.

Long-term stability over risky roster gambles for the Warriors

With a player like Curry within their ranks and still putting up MVP numbers, the Warriors would have hoped that they had the roster to contend for a championship. But unfortunately, the team is not good enough at the moment.

The club traded for Butler in the middle of last season, which did elevate their chances, but an injury to Curry cost them as they went down to the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games in the second round. Considering all the drama surrounding Jonathan Kuminga, it is expected that the Warriors would include him in a trade package for an established star.

But it is easier said than done. Kerr revealed on the podcast why the Warriors have been complacent till now and the risks that come with trading away all the assets.

All you have to do is look at some of these teams out there that have given up the world for a star player, and now they’re looking around like the Clippers, no picks, Phoenix, no picks. Phoenix, no picks. Milwaukee, no picks.

Kerr does make a valid point as it is important to prioritize the club’s future over a move that could send the club behind. A good example would be the Los Angeles Clippers, who gave away almost all their assets to the Thunder for Paul George in 2019. Fast-forward to today, the Thunder are coming off a championship, while the Clippers find themselves in a horrid situation.

Jimmy Butler’s role for the Warriors

There has been criticism surrounding Butler that he has not been aggressive enough in the absence of Curry. The forward is currently averaging 19.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists so far. Butler was signed to take away the offensive burden from Curry and lead the charge in his absence.

Jimmy Butler (Image Via The Golden State of Mind)
Jimmy Butler (Image Via The Golden State of Mind)

Kerr spoke about Butler’s role when Curry is on the bench and why he is a key piece in the offense.

Well that’s why we have Jimmy. What I found is that the more we can play Jimmy with a group around him that demands that he take over, that’s when he’s at his best. When he’s with Steph and Draymond, I think he’s such a smart, conscientious player. He knows how good Steph is so he tends to defer a little bit when Steph is out there.

As the Warriors try to make it to the top six for a direct playoff qualification, they will need Butler to step up and be more aggressive heading forward.

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