The Golden State Warriors are in the midst of what might be a franchise-altering offseason in 2026. While there is pressure on the team to make win-now trades to give Stephen Curry a better shot at competing for NBA Championships, they need to figure out what the future of head coach Steve Kerr is.
Kerr took over as the Warriors’ head coach in the 2014-15 NBA season, ending the year by winning the NBA Championship as a rookie head coach. Over the last 12 years, Kerr won three more NBA Championships (2017, 2018, 2022) and has established himself as one of the top coaches in the NBA.
Kerr has openly discussed potentially stepping away from the Warriors this offseason, as his contract expired and the two sides haven’t announced an extension. This means the Warriors also have to consider other options, with a recent report from Front Office Sports claiming the franchise has their eye on Dusty May, the head coach of the NCAA’s Michigan Wolverines.
“Michigan’s Dusty May is drawing interest from multiple NBA teams as the coaching carousel takes shape. The 49-year-old is considered a candidate for the Orlando Magic and potentially the Golden State Warriors.”
May led the Wolverines to the 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship by winning the March Madness Tournament last month. May isn’t the first NCAA coach to be linked with the Warriors job, as former NCAA Champion coach Todd Golden of the Florida Gators has also been linked to the job.
May has a 190-82 record as a head coach over the last eight years in the NCAA. He might be a great fit for the Warriors, as May is regarded as a player-first coach who builds relationships with his players. He also fosters an environment where players are given the space to make mistakes and then learn from them.
His player-centric style would work well with Curry still leading the franchise, although he’ll have to find the balance between empowering 18-year-olds in college compared to a 38-year-old NBA legend. The tolerance for mistakes in the NBA is much lower, so he’ll likely find a way to adjust his style for what the Warriors will need.
Kerr is already being lured away from the Warriors with reports suggesting that ESPN is looking to add him to its broadcast team. Kerr has experience with that role, acting as a commentator for TNT in the mid-2000s. He also served as the GM and President of the Phoenix Suns from 2007 to 2010, proving he can wear multiple hats in the basketball world without being a head coach.
Kerr’s Warriors are coming off a rough season where the team missed the 2026 NBA Playoffs after an injury-riddled year. Curry played just 43 games while Jimmy Butler tore his ACL and was ruled out for the entirety of the 2025-26 season. Butler is expected to miss most of the 2026-27 season as well.
The Warriors failed to land a star player at the trade deadline with their reported pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo fizzling out. With the Curry and Draymond Green duo being in their late-30s, it’s clear that the Warriors dynasty we knew has faded. But if Kerr comes back for his version of a ‘last dance,’ he likely won’t do it without assurances of a competitive team being built around Curry.
