PHOENIX (AP) — Golden State coach Steve Kerr isn't sure about his future, saying after the Warriors' season ended Friday night that he'll take some time to decompress before gathering with the team's leadership and figuring out what's next.
“It might still go on. It may not,” Kerr said after the Warriors lost in Phoenix and were eliminated from the play-in tournament, marking the fourth time in the last seven seasons that Golden State — which has won
four NBA titles with Kerr as a coach — has missed the playoffs.
He shared an embrace with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, the team's two constants from those title runs, in the final moments of Friday night and appeared to mouth the words “thank you.”
Kerr wouldn't reveal what he said in that moment.
“None of your business,” he said, smiling.
The 60-year-old Kerr just finished his 12th season with the Warriors. He's 604-353 in that span, led Golden State to the NBA Finals in each of his first five seasons — and once since then as well — plus guided USA Basketball to Olympic gold at the Paris Games in 2024.
He said he'll meet with Warriors owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy eventually, to chart a path for what's next. He suggested that might come in a week or two.
“We'll talk about what’s next for the Warriors, what the plan is this offseason,” Kerr said. "And we will come to a collaborative decision on what’s next. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I still love coaching. But I get it. 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.
“And, if that’s the case, then I will be just 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 and the whole group.”
The Warriors were 37-45 this season, dealing with injuries the entire way. They rallied Wednesday from a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Los Angeles Clippers and move into Friday's play-in finale, but fell short against the Suns.
And now, the Warriors wait to see what's next.
“This was as tough a season as you can have, with the injuries, with all kinds of adversity," Kerr said. "And they battled, and they battled the entire season. They kept going the other night just to, you know, continue the season, to show that kind of fight. And then tonight, we just didn’t have it. But the competitive desire was there. And I’m proud of the group for finishing the season the right way by continuing to fight and trying to win every game.”
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