The Golden State Warriors faced a major decision this offseason regarding the future of their iconic head coach, Steve Kerr. The former Chicago Bulls sharpshooter has been leading the Warriors’ locker room since 2014. Now, 12 years and four championships later, he’s just agreed to extend his tenure through 2028.
Per ESN’s Shams Charania, Kerr’s new deal (at least $17.5 million per year) will keep him as the NBA’s highest-paid coach (to finish out what will likely be the final act of Steph Curry’s career.
“It was never going to be about money,” one team source told ESPN. “We had to make the best basketball decision.”
Famed for his culture-building and close personal ties to stars like Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson, Kerr is perhaps one of the league’s most recognized coaches, and his achievements in the role are unmatched. Over 12 seasons, he’s got a 604-353 record, six Finals appearances, four championships, and a 63.6% winning percentage (third in NBA history).
Despite all that, there was some trepidation about extending his contract this summer. Besides the fact that the Warriors haven’t advanced past the second round in four years, they are coming off (arguably) one of their most disappointing seasons yet in the Curry era, finishing 10th in the West at 37-45. That’s not to mention Kerr’s role in the Jonathan Kuminga fiasco, in which the two had a falling-out that cost the Warriors a promising young wing player.
But with the situation so dire and Stephen Curry rapidly losing time, the Warriors had to decide quickly whether to run it back with Kerr or risk it all with a new voice in the locker room. They chose the former, no doubt based on his close ties to Curry, Draymond, and the iconic core that made history all those years ago.
Of course, the extension came only after weeks of conversations between the coach and the front office, who felt they had to be aligned before extending their partnership. Besides the financial terms, they were negotiating certain stipulations of Kerr’s return. Specifically, the two sides reached an agreement on key issues, including improved team discipline and accountability, offensive philosophies, and a full commitment to maximizing the roster around Stephen Curry.
As for what this means for next season, it’s a sign that the Warriors are still all in on Curry. You don’t keep Steve Kerr if you’re looking to rebuild, but he’s arguably their best option to keep the status quo and make one final push for another championship. While he’s far from a perfect coach, Kerr has Steph’s full allegiance and support, and that alone is nearly enough to secure his job.
Now, the pressure falls on Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the rest of the front office to build a roster that can contend with the likes of the Thunder, Spurs, and Timberwolves in the West. Options will be limited for the Warriors, but there are several paths to contention if they’re willing to take some risks. At this point, it’s clear that Kerr’s extension is just the first step, and how they move from here could determine how we remember the final years of Steph’s career.
