Luke Walton Influence Makes Him Crucial To Warriors Future
By Sumeet Paul
Golden State Warriors interim coach Luke Walton was awarded the NBA coach of the Month for the Western Conference this week as he continues to impress.
Having led the Golden State Warriors to a 19-0 start to the season in the absence of coach Steve Kerr, Luke Walton may not have the wins officially attributed to him, but he is undoubtedly enhancing his reputation and establishing himself as a great coach.
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Ultimately, it comes down to ability and whether or not an individual is cut out for their respective role. Walton has essentially made the jump from assistant to head coach of a franchise in a year, and he is excelling with more responsibility.
On one side of the argument, he arguably has the best roster at his disposal which is fresh from winning a championship last year and is using a system of play that has been instilled and perfected by Kerr over the last 12 months or so.
That would suggest that Walton is merely benefiting from the work of others and it is therefore right that Kerr gets the wins rather than his assistant.
However, on the flip side, it is Walton who is making the in-game adjustments. It is Walton who is changing rotations to get the best out of the team at any given moment in a game, and he is making the final call on everything as well as earning the respect of the players who follow his orders complicity.
The fact that Golden State are 19-0 so far this season has a lot to do with his coaching, and so it is only right that he receives the appropriate amount of recognition and respect.
November 28, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors interim head coach Luke Walton (left) and forward Draymond Green (23) during the second quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Nevertheless, the Warriors will undoubtedly be wary of the level of his success in Kerr’s absence, as having had a taste for life as a ‘head coach’ and gained such impressive results, it would make sense for both Walton to be keen to explore his options in the summer as well as teams being interested in acquiring his services.
The Warriors lost Alvin Gentry to the New Orleans Pelicans in the summer, and although his absence seemingly isn’t making too much of a difference to their fortunes on the court, it will have had a negative impact on the players in some form.
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Losing another member of the coaching staff next year would continue to break up the winning formula that the organisation has built, and while keeping it all together will of course be their priority, they can’t begrudge any individual wanting to better themselves even if it is outside of Oakland.
With so much time left in the season and with questions continuing to be asked about when Kerr will return to the bench, much will probably change between now and June. However, the Warriors as an organisation and their fans should enjoy the influence of Walton on this team while it lasts, as he continues to mature and shine as the leader of the pack.