Warriors’ Kerr unconcerned about expiring contract
SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AP) — Steve Kerr has no concerns about his long-term status as coach of the Golden State Warriors, despite heading into the final year of his contract.
Owner Joe Lacob and new General Manager Mike Dunleavy Jr have expressed a desire to get a contract extension, and Kerr is confident something will work out — even if it doesn’t happen before the start of the season.
“I feel great about my position here,” Kerr said Monday. “I want to be here. I know Mike and Joe want me here and so I’m very confident something will get done. But, I’m not stressed about it at all. I’m perfectly capable of coaching; whether I have one year left or an extension, makes no difference.”
Kerr has a 473-238 record in nine years as Warriors coach and has led the team to four championships and two other trips to the NBA Finals.
He has been a part of a championship core led by Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. Golden State extended Green’s contract earlier this off season, keeping both him and Curry under team control through the 2025-26 season.
Like Kerr, Thompson is entering the final year of his contract, and Dunleavy said the team wants to get extensions done with both.
“I think when you’re working off that idea you can come to a deal, and hopefully we can do that,” Dunleavy said. “In those scenarios there’s no real timeline in the immediate future that we have to abide by so we’ll continue to have conversations. But the main goal is secure those guys moving forward, and I think they feel a little bit of the same. We are optimistic, and I think we are in a good place there.”
The Warriors are set to open training camp next week with hopes of rebounding from a second-round play-off exit last season.