The Golden State Warriors’ offseason is officially on a pause, and the main reason behind that is the question of what will happen to head coach Steve Kerr.
Since the Warriors were eliminated by the Phoenix Suns in the Play-In Tournament on April 17, the 60-year-old head coach has gone quiet, taken some time away, and let the basketball world speculate.
Is Steve Kerr Leaving the Warriors?
“It’s April,” one source said. “We don’t need to rush.”
Adding on, as per Shams Charania, Ramona Shelburne, and Anthony Slater, the Warriors are ‘adamant’ that this would be entirely a basketball decision. And it will reportedly depend on Kerr’s wish if he wants to continue coaching, and the front office’s desire to change it up.
Stephen Curry, who is under contract through next season and open to an extension, has publicly made clear that his preference is for Kerr to remain on the sideline. As long as Curry is still playing, there is a job offer on the table for Kerr. The question is simply whether he wants it.
Kerr himself has been honest about the uncertainty. After the loss in Phoenix, he told reporters that he, owner Joe Lacob, and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. would come to a collaborative decision on what comes next.
There are questions on the table that go beyond just whether Kerr wants to keep coaching. The front office may want to see tweaks to the offensive system, particularly moving away from the heavy three-point volume approach that produced the league’s highest three-point attempt rate this season despite Curry missing 39 games.
There are also concerns about Golden State’s turnover rate, which ranked fourth-worst in the league. Kerr will need to weigh whether he is willing to adjust the system he has used to win four championships.
The decision will also surely affect the Warriors’ roster. Draymond Green holds a $27.7 million player option for next season, and sources have suggested his choice could be influenced by whether Kerr returns.
Kristaps Porziņģis enters unrestricted free agency. The entire offseason, including any potential pursuit of a star like Giannis Antetokounmpo, essentially stays on pause until the coaching question is resolved.
Both sides want an answer before the front office heads to Chicago for the NBA Draft Combine in the second week of May. The clock is ticking, but for now, everyone close to Kerr may be looking to let him take his time.
