Hear Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr and President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Bob Myers speak with local media via conference call on Tuesday to discuss if the team has been tested for the COVID-19 virus, how players are expected to stay in shape during this unprecedented time and more.
On the how the NBA’s suspension of games spread social awareness of the COVID-19 virus:
“I think the NBA coming to a halt sort of helped a lot of people come to grips. It was one of the tipping points where society at large saw how serious this was.”
What is Kerr doing during this pause in the season?
“I’m watching tape of some of our draft prospects, something I haven’t been able to do much of over the years and I hadn’t done any of it this year, so I’m trying to use that time to get a feel for the guys who are on our list with the draft coming up.”
On how the situation has effected USA Basketball and preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics:
“[Head Coach Gregg Popovich] and I have spoken a couple of times over the last week-or-so. Everything is just up in the air. There’s no sense of whether things are going to be delayed or anything. We’re all kind of wondering what’s going to happen and so is the rest of the world… We’re going ahead and trying to put together a roster and that’s all we can do.”
On the current suspension of NBA games and the desire to play basketball:
“We are motivated to play again when we can. I think the league feels that way, I know the players feel that way, ownership feels that way, coaches… we all want to play, but not at the risk of anyone’s health.”
On having Warriors players and staff tested for COVID-19:
“We’ve been told that the testing is in short supply, and we’re treating ourselves like people, which is what we are. We’re not better than anybody, we’re not worse, we’re just a basketball team and a company… we might be taking a test from somebody who’s symptomatic or is elderly or in a higher-risk category, I don’t know if that’s right but that’s the way we’re navigating it.”
On preparing for free agency and the 2020 NBA Draft with an altered summer schedule:
“Me personally, I’m not crying about free agency or the draft or whatever happens… right now it’s more about let’s just stay healthy, let’s try to do the right thing, try to remember our place in all of this.”