The “general belief” both within the organization and around the NBA is that Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is more likely to step down from his current position than to sign a new contract to remain in Golden State, according to Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. Poole reports that Kerr will meet with team owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. to discuss his future and that the expectation is his decision will come in a matter of days, rather than weeks.
While it sounds like Kerr is leaning toward ending his run with the Warriors, he has left the door open to returning. For that to happen, Poole suggests the veteran coach would need to have “renewed faith in his role as the franchise shifts toward the future.” Kerr’s decision won’t be based on money, Poole adds.
“They could offer Steve $25 million a year and I doubt that alone would make a difference,” one league source told NBC Sports Bay Area.
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- According to Nick Friedell and Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic, Golden State was operating for most of the season as if it would be tough to bring back De’Anthony Melton, since he seemed likely to decline his $3.5MM player option in favor of a much more lucrative offer that the Warriors wouldn’t be able to match using the guard’s Non-Bird rights. However, an up-and-down finish to the season may hurt Melton’s market and make a return to Golden State more viable. For his part, the 27-year-old said on Monday that he’d “most definitely” like to stay with the Warriors but that he’ll “leave that type of stuff up to my agent and upstairs,” per Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area.
- Although the Warriors reportedly offered several future first-round picks for Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo prior to February’s trade deadline, one team source who spoke to Friedell and Thompson said the front office isn’t planning on giving up several future assets to load up on veterans for 2026/27. Noting that Golden State was the most aggressive suitor for Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard prior to the deadline, Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link) posits that the team may be less inclined to pursue a veteran star like Giannis or Kawhi this offseason if Kerr doesn’t return.
- A restricted free agent this summer, Quinten Post said on Monday that he hopes to remain with the Warriors, per Friedell (Twitter link). Post, who is recovering from a foot injury, added that he thinks he’s about two weeks away from resuming on-court work and hopes to play for the Dutch national team this summer.
- Warriors big man Al Horford explained in greater detail on Monday why he left Boston last summer to sign with Golden State. Brian Robb of MassLive has the story and the quotes from Horford, who holds a $6MM player option for ’26/27.
Seems like Melton hit a wall. He hasn’t played a lot of games the last three years and this season he seemed to be gassed.
But it’s a good point that perhaps other teams of course noticed it as well and the offers may not be there as De’Anthony would hope, both in years and dollar amount.
I still think Melton is gone because Podski is too similar. Not good enough to start at the one or the two but a pretty nice backup combo guard. Warriors definitely don’t need two of those guys.
He’s a great player, one of the best in the league in the last decade or so, but I’m not sure I would trade valuable assets for Kawhi Leonard this summer.
Too many question marks and you don’t really know what you’re getting because from him anymore. 60 games? 35 games? That’s the last thing an old team like the Warriors need.
Sure, Kawhi had one of his best seasons, but still, no thanks.
Couldn’t agree more. The availability concern is overwhelming.
I would definitely love to have Al Horford back. He’s just so solid in every sense of the word. I loved his performance on the floor, even though looking at his numbers, you may not come to that conclusion yourself.
Horford playing power forward and center for the Warriors is such a valuable role and letting him go would create a huge vacancy.
Fingers crossed he comes back, but of course support any decision he makes in order to ring Chase.