Usually, NBA locker rooms are open to reporters for a 45-minute window pregame, however on Wednesday night time, the Golden State Warriors raised alarm bells that they could have a deal imminent on the eve of the NBA commerce deadline after they kicked all of the reporters out in order that Steve Kerr might deal with the crew privately forward of their matchup with the Utah Jazz.
Ringing additional conspiracy bells was the actual fact they known as gamers who had been figuring out — together with Stephen Curry — again from the ground to the locker room to take part within the team-wide assembly, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.
The Golden State locker room has been closed simply now throughout open media time. Steve Kerr is addressing the crew. Gamers that had been on the ground had been introduced again into the locker room.
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) February 6, 2025
Simply 10 minutes later, the media — and the remainder of the world — came upon what Kerr was possible telling the crew: That Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, Dennis Schröder and Lindy Waters the III had been getting traded in order that the Warriors might add (and lengthen) perpetually disgruntled Warmth star Jimmy Butler.
Now, the NBA has seen awkward commerce circumstances earlier than — Harrison Barnes getting dealt by the Dallas Mavericks whereas taking part in a basketball recreation most prominently involves thoughts from my 12 years protecting the NBA — however that is instantly on the Mount Rushmore of weird methods for the general public to search out out a deal goes down.
Having to carry guys out with made-up leg or wrist soreness so that they don’t get damage and jeopardize a deal is one factor, however having to name your entire crew again to the locker room and kick the media out so the coach might let a number of guys who had been in any other case planning on taking part in that night time know that they had been gonna need to catch a aircraft as an alternative of taking part in in opposition to the Jazz? Or, in Schröder’s case, that they may simply go to the opposite locker room? Lower than an hour after mentioned coach mentioned he hoped the crew didn’t “do something loopy” on the deadline?
Which may find yourself as one of many extra publicly weird methods for followers and gamers to search out out a few blockbuster deal that we’ve ever seen… particularly when contemplating that Steve Kerr’s physique language doesn’t sound prefer it was fairly ebullient after addressing the crew:
Steve Kerr simply walked out of the locker room together with his head down.
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) February 6, 2025
Now, possibly he was simply unhappy concerning the NBA as a enterprise, and having to inform a number of males he’d been within the trenches with that they’d have to maneuver themselves and their households on brief discover. Truthfully, although, with out psychoanalyzing an excessive amount of, strolling round together with his head down can be a totally rational response for a coach who simply came upon they need to take care of Draymond Inexperienced and Jimmy Butler on the identical time, so it might make sense on a number of ranges.
We’ll discover out which is which in a while, however for now, all we all know for sure is that each one of this was awkward as hell.
