Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr believes the NBA needs to crack down significantly harder on players who flop during games.
Addressing Player Grifting
Speaking to reporters prior to Wednesday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Kerr stated that the league should operate under a strict no-nonsense policy regarding flopping and how referees officiate it. He argued that the overall product improves when players stop trying to deceive officials.
According to Kerr, “Like, every bit of bulls–t that the players try to pull, we should just say, ‘No, no. We’re not doing that.’ And it’s a better game when guys aren’t flopping, guys aren’t grabbing each other, hooking each other, running into screens and looking like they got hit by a car.”
He further explained that games improve when referees have the authority to reject manufactured contact. Kerr expressed frustration that the league constantly lags behind inventive players who try to draw fouls, noting that players engage in grifting while the league chases them without getting ahead of the issue.
Recent Officiating Focus
The topic of flopping gained attention following a Tuesday game between the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers. During a two-minute sequence in the fourth quarter, officials whistled technical fouls for defensive flopping on Ja Morant, Toumani Camara, and Ziaire Williams.
Before the regular season commenced, the NBA highlighted several points of emphasis for players, coaches, and referees. The list explicitly targeted exaggerated and theatrical movements designed to trick officials into favorable whistle calls.
Kerr also disclosed that he submitted video clips to the NBA office earlier in the season concerning various officiating decisions, though he chose not to discuss the specifics of those private conversations publicly. Despite his concerns about rule manipulation, Kerr emphasized his belief that league officials perform a commendable job overall and reiterated that everyone must stay ahead of player grifting.
The Warriors and Timberwolves avoided any technical-foul issues during their matchup on Wednesday night. Golden State secured a 119-114 victory at the Target Center, fueled by a 44-point performance from Stephen Curry and 26 points with nine rebounds from Yaxel Lendeborg.
Having rebounded from an 0-3 start to win consecutive games, the Warriors aim to reach a .500 record on Friday when they host the Los Angeles Lakers.
