Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr took some time off during last night's game against the Phoenix Suns to allow a few of his players, such as Andre Iguodala and Draymond Green, the opportunity to coach the team. Kerr didn't wait until the Warriors were up by 40 points either.
During the first quarter of Golden State's 129-83 win, Kerr let Iguodala run the huddle and draw up plays for his teammates while the coaches stood nearby.
After the game, Kerr told reporters that he decided to let guys some of his players because "it's the players' team."
Per ESPN,
"I told them the other night after the last game [on Saturday] that we were going to do it," Kerr said. "It's their team. I think that's one of the first things you have to consider as a coach. It's not your team, it's not [general manager] Bob Myers' team, it's not [owner] Joe Lacob's team -- although I'm not going to tell Joe that.
"It's the players' team, and they have to take ownership of it. And as coaches, our job is to nudge them in the right direction, guide them, but we don't control them. They determine their own fate and I don't feel like we focused well at all the last month, and it just seemed like the right thing to do. I thought they communicated really well together and drew up some nice plays, and it was a good night for the guys."
For example:
https://twitter.com/_/status/963261959662530560
https://twitter.com/_/status/963313820906135553
Suns forward Jared Dudley said Kerr's decision to let the players coach showed a lack of respect, but added, "maybe right now we don't deserve respect."
"It shows a lack of respect for an opponent, and maybe right now we don't deserve respect," Suns forward Jared Dudley told ESPN. "When you keep getting beat by 40, teams won't respect you. But it's up to us to change that."
According to ESPN, Kerr told reporters that he spoke with Suns coach Jay Triano immediately after the game and explained that it had nothing to do with being disrespectful. "It had to do with me reaching my team. I have not reached them for the last month. They're tired of my voice. I'm tired of my voice," Kerr said.
Triano didn't seem offended. "I noticed their plays were a little better out of timeout tonight," He told ESPN jokingly. "Nah, I didn't have a problem with what Steve did."
