The Golden State Warriors Steve Kerr has been involved in the basketball industry for a long time. Between 1988 and 2003, he participated in 15 seasons of play and won five titles.
In his eleventh season as head coach, Kerr has guided the Warriors to four NBA championships.
However, prior to taking over as Golden State’s manager in 2015, Kerr served as general manager of the Phoenix Suns from 2007 to 2010, the same team that selected him in the second round of the 1988 NBA Draft.
Kerr claims that he had a frightening encounter while serving as the Suns’ head coach that has stayed with him over the years.
“I traded Shawn Marion for Shaq (O’Neal) and I got death threats,” Kerr told reporters on Wednesday after being asked about his most controversial trade decision. “Email death threats. Our security in Phoenix looked into it.
“I was never overly concerned. I have taken it for what it was, which was an angry fan typing away. But it’s still pretty disconcerting when somebody threatens your life.”
For background, Kerr was discussing his contentious choice to trade Marcus Banks and Shawn Marion, who at the time had been chosen an All-Star four times in six seasons, to the Miami Heat in exchange for Shaquille O’Neal, 35, who was already nearing the conclusion of his career.
Evidently, one fan was so offended by Kerr’s choice that they threatened to kill him.
Kerr continued in his interview by expressing sympathy for Nico Harrison of the Dallas Mavericks, who has apparently been receiving death threats as a result of his choice to deal Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
According to Kerr, “there has to be a line that exists” in terms of fans expressing their criticism towards team executives. That line was “clearly crossed,” expressed Kerr.
