Warriors Make Major Addition to Steve Kerr’s Coaching Staff

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Kris Weems reacts to a play during an NBA Summer League game.

The coaching staff changes keep coming for the Golden State Warriors.

After losing one longtime assistant coach and adding a trio of others — including one expected to help the development of one promising young player — the Warriors have found a new role for the coach of their G League affiliate.

New Role for Sea Dubs Coach

This week, Golden State announced that now-former Santa Cruz Warriors head coach Kris Weems would be joining Steve Kerr’s staff in a player development role. Weems, a former All-Pac-12 guard at Stanford, led the Sea Dubs to an 11-4 regular-season record last year, taking the team to the semifinals before losing to eventual champion Lakeland Magic.

Weems has built some strong connections to the Warriors. As Vytas Mazeika of the Mercury News noted, he was the head coach of the Menlo School boys basketball team when eventual Santa Cruz Warriors general manager Kent Lacob played on the team. The two remained in touch, and Weems eventually joined the Santa Cruz coaching staff under Lacob.

“I had an amazing experience in Santa Cruz as an assistant and head coach,” Weems said, via the Santa Cruz Sentinel. “The trust that Steve (Kerr) and the organization showed me is even more special now that I’m joining the Golden State Warriors coaching staff for the second time.

“I get to be around the pillars of the organization, like Steph (Curry), Draymond (Green), Klay (Thompson), Kevon Looney and Andre Igoudala, with a chance to do something special this year. I’m looking forward to building deeper connections with the staff and players as this place as always felt like home.”

Changes for Golden State

The addition of Weems is the latest change for Kerr’s coaching staff since assistant coach Jarron Collins left in June. They went on to add Jama Mahlalela and Dejan Milojević for roles in player development. Milojević, who is expected to play a role in helping the development of second-year center James Wiseman, had previously worked with league MVP Nikola Jokić while on the coaching staff for the Serbian basketball team Mega Basket. He is credited with helping Jokić develop his game.

The Warriors are investing more into player development at a time when the team is trending younger. After taking Wiseman with the No. 2 overall pick in 2020, the Warriors held off on trading either of their two lottery picks, taking Jonathan Kuminga at No. 7 and Moses Moody at No. 14.

As Josh Shrock of NBC Sports Bay Area noted, Kerr said earlier this summer that the offseason coaching overhaul could have the team operating differently next season.

“I think every organization has to do that,” Kerr said in a July appearance on 95.7 The Game. “I just don’t think you can do the same thing over and over again and expect to grow. That’s what this is about and that’s what we’re trying to do — create some change and maintain our culture.

“I think every organization has to do that. I just don’t think you can do the same thing over and over again and expect to grow. That’s what this is about and that’s what we’re trying to do — create some change and maintain our culture.”