SAN FRANCISCO — Steve Kerr couldn’t help himself.
After providing updates on the impending return of Stephen Curry from a quad injury and discussing who else went through Wednesday’s practice, Kerr was asked what the biggest difference is between Pat Spencer’s game this season and where he was a year ago.
“That motherf—–‘s really good,” Kerr said. “Sorry, I can’t resist.”
Spencer, the 29-year-old former lacrosse player turned NBA guard, has become one of the most unexpected stories of the season over the last two weeks, helping the Warriors to two straight wins while playing consistently in the rotation. The particular phrase that Kerr referenced, the one Spencer announced loudly to Philadelphia fans when he screamed, “I’m that motherf—–” after nailing a clutch three with just over a minute left in last Thursday’s game against the Sixers, has become a point of happiness within the Warriors locker room.
Teammates have repeatedly used the phrase as a sign of respect for his play while either describing Spencer or talking to him. With Curry out of the lineup, it’s been Spencer who has filled not just an offensive void, but an emotional one, as well. He plays with a spark the rest of his teammates feed off of each night. That he was the best college lacrosse player in the country before transitioning to basketball has only heightened the respect he gets from the group.
So as Kerr described Spencer’s ascendance, he did so with a smile on his face, not just because of the self-proclaimed nickname, but for Spencer’s ability to stay ready and produce when given the opportunity.
“I think it’s the shooting,” Kerr said. “The threat from 3-point range. Now the whole floor is spread, wheras last year he did not trust his 3-point shot. Everything was a midrange pull-up and while he is a good midrange shooter, he needs to be a threat from 3 to open up the floor, which opens up the whole game.”
Kerr praised the way Spencer’s improved shooting has an impact on the rest of his game. Spencer has put in the work, allowing Kerr to trust him more on the floor.
“You can’t live on a steady diet of midrange shots in the NBA in 2025,” Kerr said. “And the trickle effect from that is pretty dramatic … there’s a lot of modern basketball principles that come into play when you’re able to shoot 3s versus 2s.”
Spencer’s demeanor off the floor hasn’t changed much as his star rises. He still drives the same Honda CR-V. He still carries himself with the same quiet confidence. But does he feel secure in the rotation now that he’s proven himself? Kerr answered that question clearly, saying of Spencer, “he’ll be in the rotation for sure.”
“We’re so deep,” Spencer said of his role as the Warriors get healthy. “We’ll probably see how that evolves over the next few weeks. Obviously, we’ve got Hall of Famers coming back. I think the most important thing is we found a little bit more of an identity in the past week and a half. So whether that means I’m in for 20 minutes, I’m in for 10 minutes, I’m out, we just want to win. I feel like I’ve done enough to hopefully be in that rotation, but I’m gonna trust the coaching staff to put us in a position to win.”
Pat Spencer’s emergence has made a big impression on the Warriors. (Kamil Krzaczynski / Imagn Images)
As for Spencer’s nickname, Kerr couldn’t resist one more chance to say it.
“That mother f—–?” Kerr said, while joking that longtime Warriors senior vice president of communications Raymond Ridder was probably not feeling well as he listened to Kerr playfully repeat it.
“Raymond’s having a heart attack over there,” Kerr said.
As the laughs continued, a black t-shirt with a photo of Spencer from the Sixers game — along with the nickname — was visible around the Bill King Interview Room. Spencer was asked if he got a cut of the proceeds from the item, which is sure to pop up in the Bay Area soon.
“I did not,” Spencer said. “But my mother’s gonna love that. It’s pretty good.”
The good feelings generated by the Spencer Show aren’t hard to notice around the Warriors, which made the difference between the beginning of Kerr’s news conference and the end of it on Wednesday so striking. After discussing Spencer, Kerr was asked about the lingering situation regarding Jonathan Kuminga, who was removed from the rotation before Sunday’s win over the Chicago Bulls and doesn’t appear to be going back soon. Kerr likes the way reserve forward Gui Santos is playing and the way the ball is moving on the floor.
Kerr said he appreciates how the 23-year-old Kumonga has gone about his business since the decision was made.
“He had a great practice today and we had a talk before practice,” Kerr said. “And he did the things that I asked him to do and I was thrilled about that. I think there are a lot of young players, not just JK, but lots of young players around the league, they have to find themselves, they have to figure out who they are as a player. And I think that’s important for JK, and every experience is an important one.
“I’m gonna keep coaching him and as he said the other day, we have a good relationship. The combinations, the fit, all that stuff has been going on for a few years. We know that. And I’m not gonna shy away from that. I think it’s pretty obvious. And I do feel for him that he has been sort of at the whim of my decision making based on what I want to see out there from our team.”
Kerr made it a point to say Kuminga handled his benching in Chicago “beautifully” and rejected the social media-fueled idea that Kuminga left the bench late in Saturday’s win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Kerr was as open and direct as he’s been on the topic all season, acknowledging the ongoing situation, as well as the idea that Kuminga could be dealt by the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
“I can imagine it’s not easy for him,” Kerr said. “And we’ve talked about the situation. My desire for JK is to become the best player he can possibly be, regardless of where he ends up, whether it’s here or elsewhere.”
Kuminga could be moved as early as Jan. 15, but the possibility remains that he could stay with the Warriors. Kuminga signed a two-year deal with a team option in the second year over the summer.
Kerr has faced regular questions about the situation since the start of training camp, and they aren’t going to go away until some kind of resolution occurs. He said he’s talked to Kuminga and the rest of his players for years about how fickle the NBA can be. He knows from experience, having played for six different teams in his career.
“It’s a really weird league,” Kerr said. “It’s a weird business to be in. Because you have to fully commit to the team you’re playing for, knowing full well that that team may trade you. Or cut you. That’s a really hard thing to reconcile as a player. But the sooner guys can recognize it, the better. And the guys who end up playing for a long time sort of figure that out.
“And they understand that you can’t just say, ‘Fine, I’ll be a mercenary,’ either. Like you really do have to commit to whatever group you’re with. But if you’re getting traded around, moved around, it’s not an easy thing to deal with. And especially if you’ve never been traded, that first one is weird and difficult. And I can speak from experience. It’s not an easy situation, but nobody knows what’s gonna happen. My goal is to get JK to play at the highest level to help us win that he can.”
Kerr reiterated that he trusts general manger Mike Dunleavy will ultimately make the best decision for the organization. Meanwhile, the Warriors are on the verge of having a completely healthy roster for the first time all season, allowing Kerr still has the chance to build a set rotation. While some of those pieces may change based on matchups, what’s clear for now is that Spencer is part of the group that will play — and Kuminga is not.
“We have a lot of guys now,” Kerr said. “It’s a great problem to have, but it’s not an easy problem to solve. Because I also would say there’s not a ton of separation between some of our players. So I can’t play 14 guys, 15 guys, I can probably play 11 at the most in a game. So we have some very difficult decisions to make before Friday.”