Common perception dictated that the Golden State Warriors hit the NBA head-coaching lottery by winning out on the Steve Kerr sweepstakes.
As perceived by the outside masses, the small-market club and generally unappealing city of Oakland somehow reigned in the hottest available commodity. They lured Kerr away from a place none other than New York City—one of the world’s greatest metropolises and an all time historical destination in the NBA.
Warriors’ ownership accomplished this unexpected feat with its aggressive commitment to winning, a rejuvenated basketball culture and, of course, a championship-quality roster. Kerr’s familial roots in California, connections with Warriors’ front-office personnel and the team’s looming move to San Francisco certainly played substantial roles.
So now that the highly sought-after Kerr is running things on the hardwood in Golden State, what are his chances of attracting equally star-laden talent to Dub Nation?
Would his five-title pedigree as a player, high basketball IQ displayed as a broadcaster and endorsement from the Association’s most respected leaders in Gregg Popovich trump Kerr’s rookie standing as a head coach?
Or would free agents and potential trade targets simply want to join forces with Golden State because of the existing personnel?
It certainly doesn’t hurt that the Warriors already boast the league’s most dynamic backcourt, a premier wing-defending small forward, a double-double machine at power forward and a dominant rim-protector at center.
“Who wouldn’t want to play alongside the likes of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, David Lee and Andrew Bogut,” many a casual observer would ask.
All-stars aplenty notwithstanding, gauging whether Kerr can attract a notable star out West is largely an exercise in subjectivity.
Trust and some measure of blind faith are two unavoidable necessities for any player that signs on with him. After all, this is indeed his first year on the job. No amount of hardwood intelligence, championship trophies (as a player) or passion for the game can replace a complete lack of coaching experience.
Yet that also doesn’t mean stars will necessarily shy away from Golden State.
Those comfortable with serving a reserve, but still very much important role will gravitate toward this contending squad. There’s no doubt that Kerr will effectively sell the Warriors as being just a piece away from ascending into the upper echelon now occupied by the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Having the full support of an owner like Joe Lacob—who has already showcased the championship-or-bust mentality (in the Western Conference at least)—lends further credence to his sales pitch.
So, who could find himself on the receiving end of said pitch?
In the spirit of “stretch-bigs” being all the rage, not to mention a perfect fit for Kerr’s movement-based system, two prominent names come to mind: Channing Frye and Spencer Hawes.
Hawes is a rare seven-footer that can both rebound and hit at a high percentage from downtown. The impending free agent drilled an absurd 41.6 percent of his threes while collecting 8.3 boards per game. ESPN Insider’s Amin Elhassan (subscription required) cited his dual skill set as “becoming more important as spacing becomes paramount.”
But seeing as Kerr brought the former to Phoenix back in his days as the Suns general manager, Fry is the better option of the two.
The 6’11” smooth-shooting big-man established a career-high 43.9 percent from distance in 2009-2010 and has since resurrected his career. After sitting out last year due to a heart condition, he played in all 82 games in 2013-2014. He drained 37 percent of his attempts from distance and made quality contributions on defense, earning 2.4 defensive win shares.
Elhassan deems him “an elite three-point shooter who also has developed into an underrated post and team defender.”
If Kerr can convince him to opt out of his $6.8 million player option with the up-and-coming Suns, Fry would certainly help push Golden State over the top.
On a final note, even though Kevin Love is the best option, he’s also a pipe dream.
The Warriors would have to give up everything in a trade for Love, while sacrificing nothing for Frye. Kerr just needs to offer him championship riches beyond the mere dollars he could secure in Phoenix.
We think he can do it. But as they say, the ball’s in his court.
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