Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr says his decision on whether to return next season is far from simple, and that the reason comes down to two names: Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Speaking in a lengthy personal interview with The New Yorker, Kerr acknowledged that most coaching runs have a natural end point but said the presence of his two long-time stars makes this particular crossroads unusually difficult to navigate.
“This is a really interesting situation, and I’m very respectful of the organization and their place in the universe right now,” Kerr said. “I know how this stuff works. Most coaching runs just last a certain amount of time, and then it’s best for everybody to move forward. And what we have to figure out is whether now is that time, because what complicates it is we still have Steph and Draymond.”
The Warriors’ season ended with a play-in loss to the Phoenix Suns, the latest stumble in what has been an inconsistent stretch since the franchise’s last championship in 2022. Golden State has missed the playoffs in two of the past four seasons and won just two playoff series in the other two. Kerr has faced mounting frustration from the fanbase over his handling of the roster, particularly the balance between ageing veterans and younger players in development.
Both Curry and Green have one year remaining on their contracts. Curry remains among the NBA’s elite when healthy and has expressed interest in a contract extension with the Warriors. Kerr said the pair’s continued presence is precisely what keeps the decision from being straightforward.
“I don’t want to abandon those guys,” he said. “If Steph and Draymond were retiring this year, I think this would be an easy decision: we all go out together and the organization takes their new path. But it’s not that easy because I think Steph’s going to play another couple of years and I think we can still do some good things together. But these are all conversations that will happen in the next week or two and we’ll figure it out. And whatever happens, it’s going to end well. I know that, because it’s too important not to.”
Kerr, Curry, and Green won four NBA championships together and reached six Finals appearances during one of the most decorated coaching runs in league history. A resolution on Kerr’s future is expected within the coming weeks.
