In a hypothetical scenario, Kerr will shorten the NBA season if he is the commissioner.
Before the Golden State Warriors’ 119–116 loss to the Utah Jazz on Monday, Steve Kerr was asked what he would tell Adam Silver if the NBA Commissioner asked about the biggest issue that needs to be addressed in the league.
Golden State Warriors / Schedule
The Warriors coach playfully asked the reporter to rephrase the question, instead asking what his No. 1 priority would be if he were leading the league.
Kerr then gave a simple answer: shortening the NBA regular season.
It's a great question. I do think the league is addressing a lot of things. I know this will not be a popular opinion in the league office, but I will continue to say it because it's obvious. We need to play fewer games. We need to take 10 games off the schedule. I think it would be great for the league," Kerr said.
"I get it—it's revenue, and you'd have to get everybody to agree to take a little less money. That's a really hard thing to do. But what I know about the league, about coaching, about how hard it is to play the modern game with the pace and the space, I think it would be a more competitive and healthier league if we played fewer games."
The 82-game regular-season schedule stands as one of the most pressing topics in the NBA, considering the significant number of injuries that players and teams are experiencing because of this era's dynamic, fast-paced game.
Kerr's desire to have a shorter regular season is well-documented, campaigning for this significant change multiple times in the past. And this latest wish he offered can't be more significant out of his and the Warriors' current season.
The Warriors were poised to compete for an NBA title this 2025-26, until the devastating torn ACL injury of Jimmy Butler wiped their hopes away. Stephen Curry hasn't played since late January due to a lingering "runner's knee" injury, while Kristaps Porzingis has only played two games so far since he was acquired at the past trade deadline.
Indeed, Kerr can only hope he has the power to change everything and give everyone in the league more time to rest. But the financial side of the league will definitely be at risk.
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