Steve Kerr Stays with the Warriors

Steve Kerr has decided to stay with the Golden State Warriors for now.

He’s signed a two-year deal to continue as the team’s head coach, as reported by ESPN on Saturday.

While the specific terms of the contract haven’t been made public, it’s been indicated that he will remain the highest-paid coach in the league annually.

Last season, Kerr earned about $17.5 million.

The agreement comes after three weeks of discussions involving Kerr, Joe Lacob (the Warriors’ controlling owner), and general manager Mike Dunleavy. They focused on the long-term vision for the team.

One team official mentioned, “It was never about money. We had to make the best basketball decision.”

Leading up to this week, there was a general sense within the team that Kerr would continue in his role.

Interestingly, he hadn’t initially planned to re-sign and had expressed during October training camp that he would not pursue a contract extension, preferring to complete the remaining year of his contract before deciding.

Last season was a tough one for the Warriors, plagued by injuries, and they concluded with a disappointing record of 37 wins and 45 losses, ultimately losing to the Suns in the play-in tournament.

After the defeat in Phoenix, Kerr reflected on coaching, noting, “I still love coaching, but I understand that… There’s always a run, and when the run ends, you may need new blood and new ideas.”

Kerr has been instrumental to the Warriors’ success since joining in the 2014-15 season, guiding them to four NBA Finals championships and boasting a regular-season record of 604-353.

This contract likely means he’ll have the chance to coach Stephen Curry, who just wrapped up his 17th NBA season, as Curry approaches the later stages of his career.

After the game against Golden State, Curry expressed his support, saying, “I want my coach to be happy. I want him to be excited about the job… He knows how I feel about him. It doesn’t even need to be said.”