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Kendrick Perkins calls out Steve Kerr for not trusting young players ‘He has a hard time letting young players be great’

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Pocholo Magsino | Last updated Jul 27, 2025 5:00 PM ET

Steve Kerr is one of the greatest NBA coaches, certified by his four championships. Unfortunately, people dislike how he utilizes the young players like Jonathan Kuminga on his roster. Former NBA champion and NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins has called him out for this.

The Golden State Warriors are one of the most successful teams of the 21st century. Head coach Steve Kerr is a significant part of that, leading them to four championships. Of course, most people will point to Stephen Curry and the rest of the players.

Despite his success, Kerr still has some weaknesses in his coaching style. The most notable is his unwillingness to utilize his young players, especially after the 2022 championship. Jonathan Kuminga has shown he has tremendous potential, but Kerr has not taken a liking to him.

This has led to Kuminga looking for opportunities elsewhere, including the handshake agreement with the Sacramento Kings. He wants to stay with the team on a $30+ million contract, but the Warriors dislike the idea. Kendrick Perkins has made sure to call this out, as he sees it as Kerr’s major weakness.

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Perkins is not a fan of how Kerr coaches young players

Perkins has taken a look at how the Golden State Warriors look for the 2025-26 season. They have a strong roster headlined by Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler, who are mostly older players.

The Warriors have promising players, but Kerr does not play them enough for proper development. Brandin Podziemski and Kuminga are exceptions, but some believe they are still not playing enough. Perkins believes so, as he thinks Kerr is not taking the right approach with his team.

Some of Steve Kerr talking about teaching the Warriors’ young players how to play w/ Steph.

“It’s important for our young players to understand we don’t need contested 17 footers with 12 on the clock. That’s a bad shot…when you have Steph Curry on your team, pass the ball.” pic.twitter.com/7M5LVwEDVA
— Danny Emerman (@DannyEmerman) December 22, 2024

On an episode of Road Trippin’, Perkins spoke to Richard Jefferson and Allie Clifton about the Warriors’ situation. Everyone offered good analysis, but Perkins went on a rant about Kerr and his struggles with young players.

“Steve Kerr, in my opinion, has a hard time of letting young guys be great. Right? The only person that I’ve seen him wrap his arms around as a young guy is Podziemski,” Perkins said on Road Trippin’.

“And Podziemski is going to have a long career as a role player. But when it comes down to guys elevating, and you see a guy that has the potential to be a franchise guy, Steve Kerr is holding these guys back.”

Kerr must play more young players to succeed in today’s NBA

The NBA is moving to a more youthful direction after the Oklahoma City Thunder’s championship. Of course, veterans still have space in the sport, but the Thunder, alongside the second apron, has made teams pivot.

The Warriors are operating on Steph Curry’s timeline, which is admirable. He brought four championships to the Bay Area, so maximizing his window is good. However, the Warriors still have to think about their long-term future.

For the JK situation, I’m starting to think it was never about the money FR FR but about his playing time and wanting a bigger role.
— linaababyy (@juicyfruitlina) July 25, 2025

Kerr could do that by developing young players to become part of the core. Unfortunately, players like Kuminga and James Wiseman could not earn Kerr’s sign of approval. Kuminga is likely to leave, while Wiseman was unable to succeed with the Warriors.

Perkins brings up a valid point with Kerr’s aversion to utilizing the young players. It will be challenging to remedy this situation, considering the veteran core. Golden State will do its best, but the Warriors will have a shorter window.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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