As the previous season came to an end after the defeat to the Timberwolves, Steve Kerr made a candid admission. “At this point, just year-to-year. I love my job. It’s so much fun. I loved this season.” Was it a real admission or an emotional response to the loss? The Golden State doesn’t want to lose its head coach, who brought multiple championships and developed a style of play that the other teams are mimicking. But will this be the final year?
The Warriors extended coach Steve Kerr’s contract in 2024 and always planned on staying put alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. The HC finalized his $35 million, two-year contract extension that takes him through the 2025-26 season. But this season will be judged differently, as per Charlie Walter. “I’m in the camp that it’s a year-to-year basis. I think if the Warriors sputtered and they did not have a good season, that they would seriously consider not extending him. That doesn’t mean they don’t think he’s a fantastic head coach. But at some point, all great things must end. And it’s almost flipping the chapter on an era.”
Instead of giving the 4x NBA champion winning coach a long-term contract, Walter predicts it could be a short one, that too, dependent on whether the team wins the championship.
“It’s saying, ‘All right, you know what? We have Steph, Draymond, and Jimmy locked up because you’re not trading Steph. Jimmy’s going to be impossible to trade. And at that point, you’re probably just keeping Draymond Green, or he could be the first domino that fell.’ But if it didn’t work out this season and it wasn’t due to injuries, it was just flat out due to them not being good enough.” Walter opined on Locked on Warriors about Steve Kerr’s contractual situation. “Maybe I think they would go the route of looking a different direction to kind of bridge that gap in one final contract year.”
With the aging superstars in Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler, plus Stephen Curry’s retirement confession, it doesn’t help the situation. “I don’t know. I’m just taking it two years at a time.” It truly feels that the championship window is shrinking, and with no free agent additions so far, the clouds are truly over Kerr.
Steve Kerr receives advice from the Stephen Curry household to keep the dream alive
The only thing of note that the Warriors have done this offseason is their decision on Kevon Looney. They’ve already lost their most dependable big man to the Pelicans. What does this mean? Their need for size is even more desperate. But that situation doesn’t get cleared until they figure out how to deal with Jonathan Kuminga. The question looms whether to keep him and once again find new plans to integrate him with the Warriors’ Big 3, or trade him so the Center problem is solved.
Dec 30, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) watches as head coach Steve Kerr reacts during the first quarter of the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images
On this, Steph Curry’s dad, Dell, said, “They got to figure out the Jonathan Kuminga situation. Maybe he’s the guy they use to get that athletic big.” Also dropped the truth bomb on the Dub Nation, “That window is closing,” Dell said. With Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler (now in his late 30s) leading the way, the Warriors need to make bold choices fast. So, the idea on paper sounds simple, but it isn’t.
Surround the aging stars with more shooting, more athleticism, and more youth. But can they gel together in one season? Not everybody can be like Jimmy Buckets, who came in and had an instant impact. With him in the lineup, the Warriors had a 23-7 record during the regular season. If there is no championship, will the front office really part ways with Steve Kerr? A dreaded thought that will depend on the results.
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