As Steve Kerr walked into Capital One Arena on Monday night for a game against the Wizards, the Warriors’ coach was at least mildly concerned with how his roster would respond to being subjected to relentless trade buzz.
“It affects everybody,” Kerr told reporters in Washington. “It’s no fun having your name mentioned in trade talks. I can speak from experience. It’s sort of a jarring thing when you read about yourself and the possibility that you might be moved. It’s a different deal. It’s hard to put yourself in somebody else’s shoes. I tell our guys all the time that we’re blessed that we get to live out our childhood dreams and play and coach in the NBA; and there’s all kinds of incredible benefits to it.
“But there’s also the negative side to it. The negative side is getting booed, getting traded, getting injured. There’s a lot of stress involved from those types of things.”
That was before the game.
Before Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III took to the court and delivered performances that argue against the words of their coach.
Two Warriors often identified as likely to be swapped before the noon Thursday trade deadline showed not even the remotest sign of anxiety, summoning showcase games, the kind of performances that can heat up trade conversations.
As pleased as the Warriors were with a 125-117 victory over the defensively challenged Wizards, they had to be downright ecstatic with the impression Burks and Robinson made on NBA scouts seeking depth for contending teams.
Burks, operating in the role of Sixth Man, scored 13 points in a five-minute first-quarter burst and totaled a team-high 30 points in 29 minutes.
“We talked about him,” Wizards coach Scott Brooks said of Burks. “He was on our scouting report. He’s done it against us in a few different locations. We knew he can play. That guy can flat-out play. He can shoot threes, he can make plays, he’s a passer, he defends, he has good size and he was feeling it tonight.”
Then there was Robinson, who totaled 22 points and seven assists, posting his eighth consecutive double-digit scoring game.
Burks and Robinson were so efficiently productive — as they have been for much of the season — that, after the game, their teammates seemed resigned to their departures.
“They have brought experience,” Draymond Green told reporters. “They both have played extremely well this year. Just being a couple older guys, that neither one of them say much, but they are more lead-by-example guys and they will teach where they feel they can. They have definitely brought some good energy to this team and some great leadership.”
Burks, a 28-year-old guard, is in his ninth season. Robinson, a 26-year-old wing, is in his sixth season. Both are on manageable one-year contracts, decidedly low maintenance and high- quality individuals.
Two more attributes bound to make them attractive to any team seeking talent to fill out its bench while marching toward the postseason.
“They’re huge,” Damion Lee said. “Just them knowing the game, [Robinson] for six years, Alec for damn near 10 years. Just them knowing the game, their experience, their wherewithal and teaching, that’s huge. Those guys were able to step in, in their first year in the organization and teach — and not be afraid to do that.”
The Lakers are shopping but don’t have much to offer. Oklahoma City, which has a treasure trove of draft picks, also is interested in 3-and-D wings, though it would require some accounting gymnastics and probably a third team to complete a deal. As surprising as it might seem, don’t count out the Rockets, who are active this week.
[RELATED: Report: Warriors discussed possible D-Lo trade with Knicks]
One trade, probably two, are fairly certain to be consummated.
“Yeah, definitely, I think so,” Green said. “But it’s not something we’re focused on. But we’re all realistic, we all understand this business and what could possibly happen. So, we will just continue to play to win, continue to try and win, and go from there.”
That seems to be the approach taken by Burks and Robinson this season, and most assuredly on Monday night.
Programming Note: The “2020 NBA Trade Deadline Show” is coming your way this Thursday at 11:30am on the MyTeams app and on NBCSportsBayArea.com! Our NBA Insiders will analyze all of the news and rumors that could impact the Warriors heading into the Noon deadline. Don’t miss it!
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