Did Warriors HC Steve Kerr throw shade at his own players?

On "The Draymond Green Show" on Monday, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was on as a guest and seemed to send a veiled message critical of players Jonathan Kuminga and Jordan Poole. 

Referencing Heat role players and their critical role in a Game 2 win over Denver in the NBA Finals, Kerr said, "None of those guys on Miami are sitting there saying, 'Well I didn't play' or 'Man they put in so-and-so.' They're just all about winning." 

Added Kerr, "When you have that championship mentality, every guy is bought in, every guy is just trying to win."

Mark Willard, a host at Bay Area radio station 95.7 The Game, offered his interpretation of Kerr's comments on Tuesday, saying, "There's no doubt in my mind what Steve's saying right here. He's saying that Jordan [Poole] and Jonathan [Kuminga] were being babies all year long."

In the 2023 playoffs, Kuminga, 20, and Poole, 23, were non-factors, with Kuminga getting benched and Poole proving to be an utter disappointment. Numerous reports, including this one from SFGATE, noted the pair were unhappy due to their limited playing opportunities. 

"It's tough to lock in every single time. It's still tough to smile every time," Kuminga told San Francisco Chronicle reporter C.J. Holmes in early May during the Western Conference semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Following the 104-101 Game 4 loss to the Lakers, Kerith Burke from NBC Sports reported "tension" in the locker room following a game in which Poole played only 10 minutes and didn't score.

Here is the full report: