The Golden State Warriors may lose head coach Steve Kerr to college if rumors are true about his future. Kerr is expected to leave Golden State with his contract expiring and most reports leaning towards the team needing a new coach. The Warriors will give Kerr enough time to make his own decision before moving forward with recruiting a new replacement.
Golden State beat writer Tim Kawakami named Arizona as a team Kerr has been linked to coaching in college :
“He could and likely will walk into a big-money TV job whenever he wants it. He could do it for a season and play golf, spend time with his grandchildren, and bliss out for a while. But I think Kerr’s heart will always be in coaching.
And I think it was very interesting when he said he wouldn’t leave Curry to coach somebody else, then quickly revised that — ‘not in the NBA.’ Could Kerr take a college job at some point? I’ve always heard that going back to Arizona wasn’t out of the question for him, but that school is doing quite fine with Tommy Lloyd right now” .
Kerr’s own comment about not leaving Stephen Curry to coach anyone else in the NBA may make it likely he’s not going to take another NBA job. However, the disclaimer in his statement did make it clear that college could be an option.
Why Steve Kerr Would Coach Arizona
Many NBA fans are always surprised when a great coach chooses to leave the NBA and prioritize college coaching instead. However, arguments exist for both sides when it comes to coaches getting the best experience.
Winning an NBA Championship is considered the greatest accomplishment in basketball, but Kerr has already experienced that four times in the Curry/Klay Thompson/Draymond Green era. College players are more reliant on coaching, and the coaches hold greater power as the biggest assets for a university.
NBA players have more power than coaches since every contending franchise needs at least one superstar to give them a fair chance. Kerr and other coaches could easily prefer college due to holding more power and influencing the game more via their decisions. The full circle story of coaching at the university he played basketball for could tempt Kerr.
Kerr played for the Arizona Wildcats from 1983 to 1988, leading the program to the 1988 Final Four. He was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 1988 NCAA Tournament’s West Regional. The emotional connection to his alma mater is undeniable.
However, there is a significant obstacle: Tommy Lloyd just signed a contract extension with Arizona through the 2031 season and has publicly stated his commitment to the Wildcats . Lloyd, who has built a powerhouse in Tucson, is not going anywhere. For Kerr to coach Arizona, either Lloyd would have to leave — which seems unlikely — or the timing would have to align years down the road.
The Likelier Path: Broadcasting
If Kerr steps away from coaching, the most likely next stop is the broadcast booth. Sources told Front Office Sports that Kerr has been meeting with media agents, and these meetings have occurred over the past several years . These discussions have focused on larger projects, suggesting Kerr is eyeing a significant role in television rather than a standard commentator position.
Kerr has previous broadcasting experience. He worked as an analyst for TNT during the 2021-22 NBA season before returning to coach the Warriors .
What Kerr Has Said
Kerr has been characteristically honest about his uncertainty. After the Warriors’ season-ending loss, he described his future as “50-50” . He also told reporters that after 12 seasons and four championships, “sometimes it’s time for new blood and new ideas” .
He has also made it clear that he will not coach another NBA team, saying he would “never walk away from Steph” to go elsewhere in the league . The college path remains the only coaching avenue outside of Golden State that he has left open.
The Warriors’ Timeline
The Warriors are not going to wait forever. Team sources said management wants to give Kerr the necessary time to decide, but they also need to get the coaching situation settled quickly before pivoting to other pressing roster and strategic matters . Kerr placed a timeline of about one to two weeks on his decision-making process .
If Kerr decides to stay, management wants him to sign a multiyear deal instead of setting up a “last dance” farewell tour that would be more about emotion than winning . They want to see hunger, not reluctant acceptance .
If Kerr decides to leave, the Warriors will launch a wide-ranging search for a new coach .
Warriors Must Have Replacements Ready
Golden State will clearly wait on Kerr’s decision since the best-case scenario is his return to the franchise. Kerr might remain with the franchise to continue coaching until the end of Curry’s career to ensure they end their Warriors’ tenures together.
However, the franchise knows that there is a realistic chance that Kerr chooses to leave the franchise. Both scenarios of him coaching elsewhere or leaving coaching altogether create the same issue of needing a replacement for Kerr.
A younger coach may be ideal to utilize new ideas to get the best out of the young Golden State talents like Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, and others. Names like Todd Golden, Sam Cassell, and Mike Budenholzer have been rumored as viable candidates to replace Kerr next season if he leaves the Warriors .
Sam Cassell, a respected Boston Celtics assistant, has been mentioned as a candidate who could get the best out of Curry and the Warriors’ guards . Mike Budenholzer, a championship-winning coach with the Bucks, has also been linked . Andre Iguodala has been floated as an “outside-the-envelope” candidate, though that is considered a long shot .
The Verdict: A Retirement, Not a Resignation
Steve Kerr is 60 years old. He has four championships. He has a gold medal. He has nothing left to prove.
He has earned the right to walk away. He has earned the right to spend more time with his family. He has earned the right to sit in a broadcast booth and talk about the game he loves without the stress of a 37-45 season.
If he does leave, it will not be a resignation. It will be a retirement.
And whether he ends up in Tucson, in a TV studio, or on a golf course, he will do so as one of the greatest coaches in NBA history.
The Arizona option is intriguing. The broadcasting option is lucrative. But the most likely outcome is still that Kerr returns to Golden State — for one more year, at least.
As he said, he will never walk away from Steph.
And that may be the only certainty in this entire saga.