Golden State Warriors Coach Steve Kerr 'really enjoying' developing young players this season

In an interview with NBA.com's Shaun Powell, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said that he is really enjoying developing the Golden State Warriors' young players despite all the losses.

The Golden State Warriors has been an NBA powerhouse in the past decade. They were in the NBA finals for the past five consecutive years and have won three times. They lost last year to the Toronto Raptors. Since signing coach Kerr in 2014, the Warriors set a franchise record in wins and eventually the league's best regular season record of 73-9. A record previously held by the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls at 72-10, a team where coach Kerr played as a reserve point guard and three-point specialist behind starter Ron Harper.

In 2016, they lost Kevin Durant to Oklahoma City Thunder. It didn't slow down the Warriors as MVP Stephen Curry, and Klay Thompson rained down record-breaking three-pointers one after another.

This year, both players are injured with Klay Thompson out for the season. Curry got hurt early in the season and is not likely to return for a couple of months. Their back-up Russell D'Angelo also got injured soon after. Other key role players were also injured in separate incidents, including Kevon Looney, Damion Lee, Jacob Evans, Draymond Green, and Alen Smailagic. The injuries dropped the Warriors to 5-19, the worst performing team in the Western Conference.

Coach Kerr changed the team focus to getting their leading players healthy while developing young players. Kerr told NBA.com that the adjusted team goals made him a better coach. Since he signed on as head coach in 2014, it's been one record-breaking success after another. Now it's about developing young guys and looking into the future when their regular guys come back.

The training has been paying off. Alec Burks is averaging 15 points a game this season, his career highest since joining the NBA in 2011. Young players, such as rookie Eric Paschall is averaging 17.1 points this year.

It's great that Coach Kerr accepted reality and is using the opportunity to look into a stronger future. Even if the Warriors don't make it to the playoffs this year, it's a small bump. They will come back stronger the moment their main players get back in the game supported by the experience their reserve players gain this year.