NBA: Golden State Warriors treating season as if it's done, says coach Steve Kerr

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr during a game at the Pepsi Center on March 3, 2020. PHOTO: AFP

(REUTERS) - Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said Tuesday (April 28) that his team is operating as if its season is over.

"It feels like the off season," Kerr said on a video conference call coordinated by the University of San Francisco.

"And in fact we had a Zoom call, (general manager) Bob Myers and I got on a Zoom with our players, our whole roster last week. And it was just a chance to check in, but it was also a chance for Bob to update the players on his contact with the league and the latest news, but it also kind of felt like our annual team exit meeting.

"Our coaching staff and I have been undergoing staff evaluations, off season plans, so we are absolutely in off season mode right now."

Kerr added while teams in playoff contention are trying to keep their teams focused in the event of the season resuming, his club - last in the NBA at 15-50 and the only team officially eliminated from contention - has moved on.

"It's different for us because we were down to 17 games, but we were out of the playoffs," he said.

"It feels like the end of the season for our team. It just does. We don't know anything officially.

"There's still a chance the league could ask us to come back and play some games, but given what we went through this season with all the injuries and the tough record, it's been more of the case of we're staying in touch with guys, but everybody is just sort of assuming that this is kind of it.

"We're not going to be involved much anymore."

The league announced Monday it would allow teams to reopen their facilities as early as May 8 in states where that would be permitted, though that date could be pushed back, and a number of restrictions will apply.

There have been no indications whether the season will resume at some point after it was suspended March 11 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Commissioner Adam Silver has said multiple times there is no timetable to make a decision.

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