Nick Kerr

Warriors Notes: Kuminga, Horford, Richard, Financial Picture

Jonathan Kuminga won’t join the Warriors for media day as his contract standoff with the team drags on, sources tell Anthony Slater and Shams Charania of ESPN. Kuminga didn’t make the trip to San Francisco for today’s event, and it doesn’t appear he’ll be with the team when practice begins on Tuesday.

Slater and Charania report that Golden State general manager Mike Dunlevy Jr. reached out to Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, on Sunday, but it doesn’t seem that a deal is any closer to being finalized.

The three contract offers the Warriors made this summer all remain on the table, but Kuminga hasn’t shown an inclination to accept any of them. They are two years at $45MM and three years at $75.2MM, which both contain team options on the final season, or three years with no team option at the reduced rate of $54MM.

Kuminga is hoping for a player option, and sources tell the authors that he sent a message to the team saying he would consider that a sign of goodwill after “years of confusion” about his role. He also cited an expectation that he will continue to have uneven playing time and will likely be put on the trade market if he re-signs with Golden State.

Kuminga’s main leverage throughout negotiations has been the threat that he will accept the team’s one-year, $8MM qualifying offer, which would make him an unrestricted free agent next summer. That option is set to expire after Wednesday, and there reportedly haven’t been any discussions about moving the deadline.

The Warriors have kept numerous roster moves on hold throughout the offseason while trying to reach a new deal with Kuminga, but several upcoming signings were reported on Sunday.

There’s more on the Warriors:

  • The addition of Al Horford in free agency gives Golden State a starting center who’s a consistent three-point threat for the first time in recent memory, writes Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. Horford shot 36.3% from beyond the arc last season and made 114 three-pointers, the second-highest total of his career, even though he only played 60 games. Johnson sees Horford as a positive influence on Quinten Post, who displayed a reliable three-point shooting stroke once he began getting consistent playing time in January.
  • The Warriors will save some money by signing 2025 second-round pick Will Richard to a standard deal, notes Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). Richard’s new four-year contract will only count $1.3MM toward the salary cap, while an undrafted rookie or a free agent with a year of service would have been $2.3MM.
  • ESPN’s Bobby Marks offers a detailed look at Golden State’s finances, noting that the team can only offer Kuminga up to $23MM this season if it plans to carry 15 standard contracts (Twitter link).
  • The Warriors announced several promotions and additions in their basketball operations department, including making Nicholas Kerr an assistant coach after he spent the past two seasons as head coach of the team’s G League affiliate in Santa Cruz.

Warriors Notes: Curry, Wilson, Kerr, Offseason Outlook

Dell Curry, father of Stephen Curry, has good news for Warriors fans — his son is not even considering retirement.

“He still loves the game,” Dell Curry told DJ Siddiqi of RG.org. “He’s a competitive guy. He wants to win another title, so we’re not even close to that window yet. But when the time comes, I think he’ll make the right decision.”

Stephen Curry is signed through the 2026/27 season, when he’ll be 39. His father believes he can go even longer than that.

“Absolutely, just because he can shoot the basketball, and he’s going to require attention,” Dell Curry said. “Even if you put him in the corner at 40, 41 years old, you have to guard him. That means that he’s creating space for other guys around him. If you can shoot the basketball, there’s a team that can use you in today’s NBA. But if you’re Steph Curry, I think you’re going to be able to play until you say, ‘I’m done.’”

We have more on the Warriors:

  • They are promoting head video coordinator, Lainn Wilson, as the new head coach of their NBA G League affiliate in Santa Cruz, Marc Stein tweets. Nick Kerr, son of head coach Steve Kerr, has coached Santa Cruz the last two seasons. He’ll be returning to the Warriors’ NBA coaching staff, according to Stein.
  • In his preview of the Warriors’ offseason, Spotrac contributor Keith Smith says they’ve already made their big splash by acquiring Jimmy Butler during the season and signing him to an extension. The front office’s focus should be to find enough depth to complement the veteran-led group, according to Smith, who adds that the team could use an established backup ball-handler and more frontcourt depth, particularly if Jonathan Kuminga isn’t retained.
  • Regarding that latter point, the Bulls and Heat have been linked to Kuminga as potential sign-and-trade partners. Get the details here.

Nick Kerr To Coach Santa Cruz Warriors

The Warriors will have members of the Kerr family coaching both their NBA and G League teams in 2023/24, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that Nick Kerr is being promoted to become the head coach of the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State’s NBAGL affiliate.

Nick is the son of Steve Kerr, Golden State’s longtime head coach. The younger Kerr played college ball at San Diego and Cal from 2011-16 before deciding to get into coaching.

Nick worked in the Spurs’ video room during the 2017/18 season, then joined the Warriors as an assistant video coordinator in 2018. He spent three years in the team’s video room, earning a promotion to head video coordinator, before becoming a part of Santa Cruz’s coaching staff. He served as an assistant under head coach Seth Cooper for the last two seasons (2021-23).

Slater previously reported that Cooper would be changing roles this offseason, having been named as one of two co-leaders of Golden State’s revamped player development program. His transition opened up the head coaching job in Santa Cruz.

Warriors Hire Mike Dunleavy Jr. As Scout

Mike Dunleavy Jr. will rejoin the Warriors as a pro scout, the team announced on its website.

Dunleavy played 15 NBA seasons, spending the first four and a half with Golden State. He last played for the Hawks at the end of the 2016/17 season.

The addition of Dunleavy was among several moves the Warriors made, including two promotions on the coaching staff. Bruce Fraser has been named an assistant coach and Chris DeMarco will be assistant coach/director of player development.

The team also hired Nick Kerr, son of head coach Steve Kerr, as assistant video coordinator. He previously held a similar position with the Spurs.

Southwest Notes: Mavs, N. Kerr, Ntilikina

A recent Dallas Morning News report has rounded up a number of mock drafts and two common themes prevail as possibilities for the Mavs: Dallas could either draft point guard Frank Ntilikina to ultimately man the franchise’s playmaking duties or take a gamble on Lauri Markkanen, a sharp-shooting forward being likened to Dirk Nowitzki.

In Ntilikina the Mavs could get a potential point guard of the future, one that the team is said to have actively scouted thus far. The guard is being hailed for his perimeter defense, although the rest of the 18-year-old’s game may take time to develop.

Markkanen, in contrast, represents a different course of action for the Mavs. The modern-day stretch four is celebrated for his already impressive ability to shoot the ball and would benefit from the tutelage of Nowitzki.

Other potential Mavs target that come up in the report are Dennis Smith Jr., Jonathan Jeanne and Jonathan Isaac.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

  • Nick Kerr will be serving in a video role with the Spurs after this season, Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News confirms. Nick is the son of Warriors head coach Steve Kerr.
  • Vanderbilt center Luke Kornet is expected to work out with the Spurs on Monday, Jabari Young of the San Antonio Express-News tweets. The 7’1″ senior could be a potential second-round target.
  • Consider Frank Ntilikina a safer bet than Dennis Smith Jr., says Matt Mosley of the Dallas Morning News. The scribe also mentions that he would be disappointed if the Mavs drafted Lauri Markkanen, citing the difficulties he could have replacing Dirk Nowitzki.
  • Another Dallas Morning News report takes a good, long look at Frank Ntilikina, collecting analysis published around the web. There’s an element of risk at play if the Mavs draft him, Dallas Morning News reporter Eddie Sefko says.