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Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr had some strong comments regarding the Anthony Davis saga and how he made his way to the Los Angeles Lakers, calling it “bad for the league.” Yet Kerr, a former player in his own right, has always favored players who hopes to take the reins on their own destiny.
“As a former player, I would always sort of lean toward player empowerment, guys who have earned their right to free agency. If they want to make a move for their own careers, I’m all for it. They’ve earned that right,” said Kerr during an appearance on The Warriors Insider Podcast. “My only issue is when a player who is under contract decides not to honor the contract. That’s a problem. That’s something that can really affect the league.”
Kerr is speaking about the recent trend of requesting a trade even before the last year when an opt-out becomes available. Kawhi Leonard requested a trade the offseason before a contract year in which he could opt out of his deal and sign a new one as a free agent, so did Paul George a season before.
However Davis informed the team months before that decision on a potential supermax extension was due, which only combusted when his agent, Rich Paul, brought matters into his own hands and made the trade public, fanning the flames into a Davis trade extravaganza.
The talisman was not traded before the deadline, but quickly found his way to the Lakers in the offseason in a blockbuster deal.
That alone worries Kerr for the sake of many franchises, but he's never been one to chastise players like Kevin Durant or DeMarcus Cousins for leaving in free agency, as he himself has benefitted from those acts of freedom.
