Ranking suggests Warriors still have head start on majority of NBA in one key area

For many it's difficult to look at the Golden State Warriors current set-up and explore reasons why this team can reignite their dynasty into more championship success.

Stephen Curry is the obvious reason, with the superstar guard remaining among the top handful of players in the league. While the Warriors can point to still having one of the elite players in the league, so too can they point to having one of the NBA's elite coaches.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr still ranks as one of the best in the NBA

Yes, Kerr is still considered an elite NBA coach, at least according to Sam Quinn of CBS Sports in a recent article ranking the 30 head coaches across the league.

Since winning a fourth championship as coach in 2022, Kerr has come under plethora of criticism over the past two seasons largely for his rotation decisions. His inability to offer consistent playing time to Golden State's young players has been a prominent storyline, albeit that narrative changed quite substantially when rookies Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis earned notable roles by the second half of last season.

There's also those fans who believe Kerr has ridden the coattails of Curry's brilliance, and to a lesser extent Draymond Green and the now departed Klay Thompson. However, Quinn's belief is vastly different, suggesting Kerr has empowered both Curry and Green to greater heights.

"He (Kerr) weaponized Curry's shooting with off-ball movement that no other guard has ever been able to replicate," Quinn wrote. "He did the same for Green on defense, embracing switching as a base concept years before anyone else did it."

Quinn also pointed to Kerr's often game-winning adjustments across the Warriors extensive playoff history during his tenure, and the fact he's been able to manage Green's fiery personality for so long "without losing the locker room completely."

All in all Quinn ranked Kerr fourth among the 30 coaches, only behind Erik Spoelstra, Nick Nurse and Rick Carlisle. Spoelstra was labelled 'The Undisputed King', while Nurse, Carlisle, Kerr and Ty Lue were in a second tier of the remaining elites.

Kerr was one of only three coaches to rank in the top 12 whose team did not make the playoffs last season, with fellow Western Conference leaders Will Hardy (seventh) and Ime Udoka (eighth) also in the top 10.

For a team few expect to be in genuine contention, and with the depth to provide him plenty of rotation headaches, Kerr will have to live up to this ranking if the Warriors wish to reach their aspirations next season.