Steve Kerr has admitted he did not use one of his key players properly this season.
Golden State’s tough stretch continued with a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on the road.
Stephen Curry put up 48 points, but it still was not enough as Portland took full advantage of their opportunities.
Despite having one of the NBA’s premier duos in Curry and Jimmy Butler, the Warriors currently hold a 13-14 record for the season.
But over the last few months, Butler’s numbers have dropped off sharply, and Kerr says he needs to shoulder some of that blame.
Steve Kerr admits he has mismanaged Jimmy Butler’s role this season
After the Warriors’ loss to Portland, Kerr took responsibility for how he has handled Butler, saying he has not put him in the right spots to make an impact.
The Warriors’ legend acknowledged that Butler’s scoring and playmaking have dipped because of it.
Kerr said: “Well, I’ve got to find a way to get him more into the groove of the game. You know, 11 shots. I mean, I don’t really consider Jimmy’s game to be dependent on how many shots he gets, but we do need his scoring. We do need his playmaking.
“I thought we did a better job last year putting ourselves in position to attack. And create shots for people.
“And we need to get back to that type of control of the game where we’re going to him in the half court, especially when Steph’s out.
“Going to him in the half court, taking care of the ball, turning the other team over, and controlling the game. And we’re not there.
“We’ve had a few moments during the season. But we’re not able to consistently put the ball in Jimmy’s hands and let him control games like we did at the end of last year,” he concluded.
Is Steve Kerr’s time with the Warriors coming to an end?
Kerr has faced a growing amount of criticism lately over his decisions and player management with the Golden State Warriors.
His handling of Jonathan Kuminga has been a major talking point, with some feeling that Kerr’s approach is not helping the team move forward.
The coach is also known for being selective about playing new additions if their style does not fit his preferences.
It is worth noting that Kerr still has not agreed to a new contract, and his current deal is set to expire at the end of this season.
The 60-year-old has mentioned he plans to discuss his future with the team during the offseason before making any decisions about returning.
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