Warriors GM: Steve Kerr's status for the NBA Finals remains unclear

ByABC News
May 25, 2017, 4:35 PM

— -- OAKLAND, Calif. --? Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers says Steve Kerr hasn't been ruled out for a postseason return, but the organization still doesn't know if Kerr will coach the team in the NBA Finals.

"He's doing everything but coaching. But at this point, he's not able to coach," Myers said. "I wish that I that could say that he was. I'm sure he wishes he could as well, but that's where we are. If something changes and he feels better, I'll sit here, or better, he would sit here and tell you. But right now, I can't say that he's going to be coaching."

Myers addressed the media after practice on Thursday. The Warriors have home court for the Finals, which begin June 1.

There is no deadline for Kerr. The Warriors are giving him all the necessary time needed in order to make a full recovery. Myers hopes his coach will soon take his rightful place along the sideline, but he understands the battle Kerr is going through.

"Let's cross that unbelievably good bridge if it comes," Myers said. "I don't know if it's coming. I know I want it to come. We'll see."

Acting head coach Mike Brown says his role and approach hasn't changed.

"The way I continue to look at it is I'm the coach until they tell me otherwise," he said. "But no matter what, Steve is going to always be involved in all aspects of our preparation and even during the course of the next round."

Three weeks ago, Kerr underwent a procedure at Duke University to repair a spinal cord leak that has caused him agonizing migraines and nausea stemming from back surgery from almost two years ago. He took a leave of absence after the first two games of the first-round series against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Kerr, at times, has felt better but there still remains a level of discomfort.

Myers said even if Brown continued on as the acting head coach into Game 1 of the NBA Finals, that wouldn't necessarily spell an end to a Kerr return during the series.

"I think anything's an option," he said. "This is unusual and I understand that. I want to know the answer to that too. But, some of this is nuance. This is not clear and concise. It's a lot of gray area. It has been, even though Mike has won all of these games. There's no right or wrong way to handle this short of looking in his eyes, [asking] how you're feeling, how do you feel about doing it. We talk amongst ourselves, but I hope we have that chance to make that determination and that means he's feeling better."

Over the past three weeks, Kerr has been an active participant at practices, meetings, game planning and recently traveled with the team to San Antonio during the Western Conference finals.

Myers said Kerr's "presence is very powerful in many ways."

"Even though he's not out there on the bench, you can't measure the impact of everything else," he said. "Some people in life, you know when they're in the room and when they're not. Some people in life, you don't even know if they're there or not. You know when Steve Kerr walks in the room. He has that [presence]."

Golden State awaits the winner of the Eastern Conference finals between the? Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Regardless of who wins that series, it's an immense accomplishment that the Warriors are headed to the final round for the third consecutive year.

But this time around, the feeling isn't quite the same.

"To have to sit here and say that the man that's hugely responsible for us being in the Finals for three years in a row, in a moment he should be treasuring, can't do it. It's painful, and I know it's painful to him more than anybody," Myers said.

"... Somebody asked me is going to the Finals three times muted because of what's going on. Of course it is. This should be great. It should be unbelievable. And we are excited, we are proud, but our head coach can't coach. It's not an excuse. It's just a fact and that sucks. But we deal with it."

Whether Kerr is able to rejoin the team on the sidelines or not, Myers says his coach is in a better place when he's around the team.

"This is his sanctuary," Myers said. "Even though he's suffering, being at home or being removed is actually harder because this is his joy. Even though it's a muted joy right now, this is the best thing he feels. This is his fulfillment."