Nothing has been decided as far as Steve Kerr’s future with the Warriors.
But Draymond Green believes it’s over.
“I hope he’s our coach next year,” Green said. “If you want my opinion, I think not.”
The Warriors’ veteran point forward shared his thoughts Monday on the latest episode of his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show,” three days after Golden State was eliminated in the play-in tournament.
Late in their loss to the Suns, Kerr pulled aside Green and Steph Curry, put his arms around their shoulders and shared a moment with the two players there with him throughout his 12 seasons, six NBA finals appearances and four championships.
If Green’s premonition proves true, it would amount to a poignant final memory between the trio.
“I’m happy we got to share that moment. (Kerr) didn’t miss the moment. It was a big deal,” Green said. “It felt like that was it. … Man, if it was, what a run it’s been.”
Kerr made it clear in what he thought was a private moment that he didn’t know what the future held. The exchange was picked up by Prime Video’s microphones.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen next,” he told them, “but I love you guys to death.”
Kerr is, technically, a free agent after his contract expired following the loss. He made the decision to enter this year without signing an extension. But he clarified after the game that he was choosing between two paths going forward: Sign on for a 13th year with Curry and Green, or retire from coaching.
“I’m definitely not going and coaching somewhere else next year,” Kerr said.
He said that he planned to take “a week or two” to evaluate his options, then he would sit down with general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Joe Lacob and come to a “collaborative decision.”
“I don’t know what’s going to happen. I still love coaching. But I get it,” Kerr said. “These jobs all have an expiration date. There’s a run that happens and when the run ends, sometimes it’s time for new blood and new ideas and all that. If that’s the case, I will be nothing but grateful for the most amazing opportunity any person could have, to coach this franchise in front of our fans in the Bay and to coach Steph Curry, to coach Dray, the whole group. It may still go on. It may not. I don’t know at this point.”
In his 12 seasons, Kerr has accumulated a 604-353 regular-season record with another 104 postseason wins added to his tally. The only other coach Curry and Green have played for was Mark Jackson, who was fired in 2014 after Golden State was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in Curry’s fourth and Green’s second season.
“I’ve never been so uncertain since early in my career on what happens next,” Green said. “I’m truly at a loss now because you just don’t know what direction will be what. … I’m so lucky for 12 years to have had Steve for my coach. We shall see. I don’t know. Just gotta stay ready for whatever it is and roll with the punches.”