Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr plans to take some time to reflect on his career before engaging in discussions about his future with the organization.
The 60-year-old coach has led the Warriors to four NBA titles, with their most recent championship coming in 2022. However, Friday evening’s play-in tournament defeat against the Phoenix Suns represented the second occasion in three seasons that Golden State has missed playoff qualification.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Kerr stated following the 111-96 defeat in Phoenix. “I still love coaching, but I get it. These jobs all have an expiration date. There is a run that happens, and when the run ends, sometimes it’s time for new blood and new ideas.”
Currently in his contract’s final year, Kerr has served as Golden State’s head coach since the 2014-15 campaign. Throughout his tenure, he has achieved a 604-353 record (.631 winning percentage) during a championship era that also featured titles in 2015, 2017, and 2018.
The Warriors have been unable to progress beyond the second playoff round since capturing their 2022 championship.
“If (my time is done), then I will be nothing but grateful for the most amazing opportunity any person could have to coach this franchise in front of our fans and to coach Steph Curry, (Draymond Green), the whole group,” Kerr explained. “It may still go on. It may not. I don’t know at this point. But we all need to step away a little bit and then reconvene.”
The Warriors faced significant challenges this season due to player age and injuries, including Jimmy Butler III suffering a torn right ACL in January and 38-year-old star Stephen Curry managing a knee problem that limited him to just 43 games.
During the final moments of Friday’s season-concluding loss, Kerr removed both Curry and Green from the game. These players have been franchise cornerstones since 2009-10 and 2012-13, respectively.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen next, but I love you guys to death. Thank you,” Kerr revealed he told them during their postgame embrace.
Curry still has one year and $62.6 million remaining on his current deal and has expressed willingness to discuss a contract extension during the upcoming offseason. Meanwhile, 36-year-old Green holds a $27.7 million player option for next season and indicated after the game that retirement is not in his plans.
Should Kerr decide to continue coaching next season, he made clear it would be alongside Curry and the Warriors organization.
“That’s part of the equation,” he noted. “I don’t want to walk away from Steph. I’m definitely not going and coaching somewhere else next year in the NBA. I would never walk away from Steph. But all this stuff has to be aligned and right. Those are all discussions that will be had.”
Regardless of Kerr’s ultimate decision, Curry emphasized that he simply wants the former NBA Coach of the Year to find fulfillment in whatever path he chooses.
“I want him to be excited for the job,” Curry commented. “I want him to believe he’s the right guy for the job. I want him to have an opportunity to enjoy what he does, whatever that means for him. Everybody’s plan is their own. He knows how I feel about him.”
