Warriors Rumors: Golden State title surprise, Harden trade casualty, Moses Moody

Warriors Rumors: Steve Kerr admits "surprise" nature of 2022 championship run

The Golden State Warriors' 2022 championship run came on the heels of two straight seasons that ended short of the playoffs. The Warriors were beat up — plagued by injuries, chemistry concerns and a sort of existential dread. Was it all over?

Well, no. Obviously not. The Warriors bounced back in 2021-22, winning 53 games and finishing third place in the West. Golden State survived Ja Morant, Luka Doncic, and ultimately Jayson Tatum in the postseason to win the championship. It was the fourth ring for Steph, Klay, and Draymond. It was also the fourth ring for Steve Kerr (as a head coach) and team president Bob Myers, the orchestrator behind the Golden State dynasty.

In a recent interview with Monte Poole of NBC Sports, Kerr and Myers were both asked if the 2022 title run came as a "surprise" given the circumstances that preceded it.

For Myers, it was a difficult question.

"Well, I’d say we didn’t know what we had. The previous two years were tough on us."

Kerr was much more direct, cutting through the typical PR sensibility of a coach to deliver an honest assessment of the Warriors' standing before the 2021-22 season.

"It’s fair to say it was a surprise."

It's extremely difficult to win four championships with the same core. Obviously, Golden State only won two without Kevin Durant, but those two were spread seven years apart. To dominate over such a long period of time — or to at least have the capacity to dominate — is damn near impossible. It's a credit to the talent of Golden State's stars, the coaching staff, and the front office. That's why Curry is a first-ballot, all-time great Hall of Fame player. It's why Draymond and Thompson won't be far behind at the induction ceremony. Neither will Kerr, nor Myers. Everybody responsible has earned their monument in history.

Now, the Warriors are still going. The 2024 title race in the West has its favorites — Denver, Phoenix, the new-look Clippers — but Golden State looks mighty compelling with the sixth-man addition of Chris Paul. Maybe the Warriors have enough left in the tank for another surprise run.