Coach Steve Kerr Uncertain About His Future With The Warriors

PHOENIX — Golden State coach Steve Kerr is contemplating his future, nan four-time NBA champion coach suggesting aft nan Warriors’ play ended Friday nighttime that location is simply a chance he mightiness not beryllium backmost pinch nan nine adjacent season.

“It mightiness still spell on. It whitethorn not,” Kerr said aft nan Warriors mislaid successful Phoenix and were eliminated from nan play-in tournament.

He shared an clasp pinch Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, nan team’s 2 constants from nan Warriors’ title runs pinch Kerr, adjacent nan team’s chair successful nan game’s last moments and appeared to rima nan words “thank you.”

Kerr wouldn’t uncover what he said successful that moment.

“None of your business,” he said, smiling.

Green and Curry some made clear that they want him back. Kerr’s early has been nan taxable of speculation for immoderate time, fueled successful portion by him coaching this twelvemonth connected nan last play of his existing contract. The Warriors missed nan playoffs this play for nan 4th clip successful nan past 7 years.

“I want Coach to beryllium happy. I want him to beryllium excited astir nan job. I want him to judge you cognize he’s nan correct feline for nan job,” Curry said. “I want him to person an opportunity to again bask what he does. So, immoderate that intends for him, you know, everybody’s scheme is their own. And I’m not going to effort to show anybody what to do. He knows really I consciousness astir him. That shouldn’t moreover request to beryllium said.”

Added Green, erstwhile asked if he could moreover fathom nan Warriors without Kerr connected nan sideline: “I conscionable don’t woody pinch alteration well. I don’t emotion it. So, I don’t want to deliberation astir that. I dream that’s not nan case, but we’ll spot what happens.”

The 60-year-old Kerr conscionable vanished his 12th play pinch nan Warriors. He’s 604-353 successful that span, led Golden State to nan NBA Finals successful each of his first 5 seasons — and erstwhile since past arsenic good — positive guided nan U.S. to Olympic golden astatine nan Paris Games successful 2024.

His playoff grounds of 104-48 is astir unmatched; among coaches pinch astatine slightest 100 playoff games successful their career, his .684 playoff winning percent is 2nd only — and hardly — to Phil Jackson, who went 229-104 (.688).

Kerr said he’ll meet pinch Warriors proprietor Joe Lacob and wide head Mike Dunleavy to floor plan a way for what’s next. He suggested that mightiness travel successful a week aliases two.

“We’ll talk astir what’s adjacent for nan Warriors, what nan scheme is this offseason,” Kerr said. “And we will travel to a collaborative determination connected what’s next. I don’t cognize what’s going to happen. I still emotion coaching. But I get it. These jobs each person an expiration date. There’s a tally that happens, and erstwhile nan tally ends, sometimes it’s clip for caller humor and caller ideas and each that.

“And, if that’s nan case, past I will beryllium conscionable thing but grateful for nan astir astonishing opportunity immoderate personification could person to coach this franchise, successful beforehand of our fans successful nan Bay and to coach Steph Curry, to coach Dray and nan full group.”

Kerr wouldn’t opportunity what immoderate of nan factors are that mightiness sway his decision, calling those private.

“If it’s right, it’s right,” Kerr said. “And if it’s not, it’s not.”

There will beryllium talks pinch Curry arsenic well; nan top three-point shooter successful NBA history, who conscionable vanished his 17th play — each pinch Golden State — said he plans to play for “multiple” seasons aft this and would beryllium willing successful an extension.

“It’ll beryllium a engaged summertime for nan Warriors,” Curry said, smiling.

The Warriors were 37-45 this season, dealing pinch injuries nan full way. They rallied Wednesday from a 13-point fourth-quarter shortage to hit nan Los Angeles Clippers and move into Friday’s play-in finale, only to autumn short against nan Suns.

And now, nan Warriors hold to spot what’s next.

“This was arsenic reliable a play arsenic you tin have, pinch nan injuries, pinch each kinds of adversity,” Kerr said. “And they battled, and they battled nan full season. They kept going nan different nighttime conscionable to, you know, proceed nan season, to show that benignant of fight. And past tonight, we conscionable didn’t person it. But nan competitory desire was there. And I’m proud of nan group for finishing nan play nan correct measurement by continuing to conflict and trying to triumph each game.”

Kerr — who won 5 championships arsenic a player, to spell on pinch his 4 rings arsenic a coach — has spoken often of his bully fortunes wrong nan game. He played for Lute Olson astatine Arizona, played pinch Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen successful Chicago, played pinch David Robinson and Tim Duncan successful San Antonio and played for Jackson and Gregg Popovich arsenic a pro.

And coaching Curry — nan top look of a franchise he’s ever seen, he said — is different honor, Kerr has insisted.

“The only point I’ve learned is that I’m nan luckiest feline successful nan NBA’s history,” Kerr said.