SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Steve Kerr insists he is perfectly content coaching the Golden State Warriors in a contract year without worrying about negotiations or what’s next until the season is done.
He trusts owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy to have those discussions when the time is right for everybody, whether that ends up being during the season or once it’s over many months from now. Kerr doesn’t anticipate having those discussions for a while.
“I’m very comfortable just going into this season with a year left. I’m so aligned with Mike and Joe that we talked about this. There’s no reason for discussion, concern, this is kind of a point in our relationship. Let’s just see how it is at the end of the year,” Kerr said Tuesday. “I love my job, I love what I’m doing every day, can’t wait to get to the building. Hopefully I’m here for another few years but I think it makes sense for the organization and for me just to see where this thing is at the end of the year, where they are, where I am. Hopefully that means we run it back, we keep going with this group, and that’d be awesome.”
Kerr, who turned 60 on Saturday, begins his 12th season leading the Warriors having won four NBA titles and now with son Nicholas as an assistant coach on his bench, too, after being promoted from the G League Santa Cruz Warriors.
Whether Kerr, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green will all depart together in some kind of fairytale farewell from the franchise is uncertain. Whatever happens, Kerr cherishes the special postseason runs and championships they’ve shared together.
Kerr owns a 567-308 regular-season record and guided the team to five straight NBA Finals that included the Warriors’ first championship in 40 years following the 2014-15 season.
The Warriors lost in the second round of the playoffs and want to chase another championship, and that is Kerr’s focus — not his own situation.
“I’m not the slightest bit concerned about it. I don’t think about it,” he said. “I just think it makes perfect sense for all of us. I’ve said this before, however this ends it’s going to be done in a really quality way. It’s going to happen the right way. If it’s meant to be for me to keep going then I’m going to keep going, and if it’s meant to be for the team to move on to somebody else there will be nothing but gratitude and appreciation. So this makes it easy for everybody.”
For now, he’s ready to get back to work. Day 1 of training camp was Tuesday and the Warriors host the Lakers in their preseason opener Sunday at Chase Center.
Golden State can move ahead now that restricted free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga’s contract stalemate has resolved and center Al Horford’s signing can become official. Curry’s younger brother Seth is also joining the roster.
Kuminga agreed to a two-year contract Tuesday that could be worth up to $46.5 million if the Warriors exercise their option for 2026-27, according to a person with knowledge of the contract. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team hadn’t made a formal announcement.
“I’m lucky to coach the group of guys that I’ve been able to coach,” Kerr said. “So I don’t spend a lot of time reflecting on the last 11 years, but I do embrace the fact that I get to do this every day. I’m very lucky.”
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer
