Here is something that you would find pretty stupid. There are some NBA policies that you’ve never heard of but when it comes into the frame you ask “Why is this even a thing?”.
This is definitely one of them. As we know Steve Kerr is not coaching the champion Golden State Warriors because of his back. Luke Walton has been filling in for Kerr and oh my is Walton filling in well. The Warriors are 16-0, some of that has to go to Walton, you can’t go 16-0 without some form of coaching.
But unfortunately, NBA policy states that interim coaches don’t get credit for wins. So if you look up Luke Walton, he will have 0-0 on his official coaching record. Steve Kerr has noticed this and has labelled it “the dumbest thing i’ve ever heard”.
Kerr and Walton are engaged in a brutal war of deferential humility. To hear Walton tell it, he’s just a functionary, carrying out Kerr’s well-laid plans. To hear Kerr tell it, Walton deserves all the credit.
“I think it’s ridiculous,” Kerr told ESPN.com when asked about getting all of Walton’s wins. “I’m sitting in the locker room and watching the games on TV, and I’m not even traveling to most of the road games. Luke’s doing all the work with the rest of the staff. Luke is 15-0 right now. I’m not. So it’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard, to be honest with you. I don’t even understand it.”
Walton expresses no angst over being winless, saying of Kerr, “Steve’s done a lot for me. It’s the least I can do to add a couple wins on his total for him with all he’s done for me.”
Walton is simply grateful to be in such company, but there are moves being made for Walton to get the credit according to Diamond Leung of Inside Bay Area.
A source confirmed Friday that the league is looking into the long-held custom of wins not being credited to interim coaches, but rather to coaches on leave such as the Warriors’ Steve Kerr.
The reconsideration likely has to do with the awkward situation the league is about to face: Who gets named Western Conference coach of the month honors?
Ooooo I never thought of that. Who does get the WC coach of the month? It would be pretty awkward if Steve Kerr gets it. I don’t think Kerr would even accept that accolade.
