The Simple Reason Steve Kerr Hasn’t Made a Decision Yet on Coaching Next Season

The longtime Warriors coach is focused on his team’s play-in game vs. the Clippers first and foremost.

Steve Kerr is waiting to sign a contract extension with the Warriors. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Steve Kerr is finishing up the final year of the contract extension he signed with the Warriors two years ago. His future with Golden State is still undetermined as two parties haven’t confirmed a new deal yet.

Do the Warriors and Kerr have a plan to figure out his future with the franchise? Have Kerr and general manager Mike Dunleavy even discussed a potential contract extension?

Kerr was asked these questions ahead of Wednesday night's play-in tournament game between the Warriors and the Clippers. The coach shared that he and Dunleavy have been on the same page the entire season—they will make an official decision about Kerr’s future once the season ends. Since the Warriors remain alive in the postseason, that conversation and decision still haven’t happened yet. Both sides seemingly want Kerr to remain in Golden State.

“We just decided at the beginning of the year that we would just wait, and so that’s what we’re doing,” Kerr said, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “I’m perfectly comfortable with that. When you’re in the midst of the season and the playoff race and it just consumes all your time and efforts, there’s time for that after the season.”

As Kerr heads into Wednesday night’s contest, his focus is on the game itself and the team’s potential postseason run—his future with the organization is not top of mind at all.

If the Warriors lose on Wednesday, it could possibly be Kerr’s last time leading the Warriors if (and that’s a major if) the two sides agree to not continue the partnership moving forward, but that possibility isn’t worrying him either: “I'm honestly not thinking about that,” Kerr said when asked about the potential of it being his last game as the Warriors coach.

“Right now, I’m just focused on our game and our guys,” Kerr said. “Let’s let it rip and see what happens—and then we’ll worry about all that stuff next week.”

It sounds like Kerr is in no rush for a decision to be made about his Warriors coaching future. He would love for his team to continue playing as long as they can in the postseason. He wants to soak in every moment without having to focus on the future.

"When you’re 60 and you’ve been doing something for 12 years and you love the people you work with, you literally just take it one year at a time," Kerr said. "I have no idea what’s going to happen when I’m done with the Warriors and I don’t even have any idea really what’s going to happen next year."

Draymond Green says Warriors want Kerr to return

It seems like Kerr and Dunleavy are on the same page about the coach remaining with the Warriors moving forward, and various players have also spoken out about their desire to keep Kerr in Golden State.

"We don’t want to play for anyone else," Draymond Green said on The TK Show. "We built this thing together. Just as much impact as Steph Curry has had, as I’ve had, as Klay’s had, Steve’s had. We built this thing up from the ground.”

Green isn’t worried about Kerr not returning to Golden State. It seems inevitable at this point for him.

“I have zero doubt that Joe will always do right by Steve Kerr,” Green continued. “[Owner Joe Lacob] went out and hired Steve Kerr when nobody believed that was the right answer. He'll always do right by people. As tough as he is, when you get around that tough a-- exterior ... there's an incredible human being.”

Oldest active NBA coaches

At 60 years old, Kerr would be nearing a traditional retirement age, that is if he wasn’t coaching in the NBA. Currently, he’s already one of the oldest active coaches working in the NBA. Here’s where Kerr ranks amongst the rest.

Coach	Team	Age
Rick Carlisle	Pacers	66
Billy Donovan	Bulls	60
Steve Kerr	Warriors	60
Quin Snyder	Hawks	59
Kenny Atkinson	Cavaliers	58
Nick Nurse	76ers	58
Chris Finch	Timberwolves	56
Mike Brown	Knicks	56
Doug Christie	Kings	55
Erik Spoelstra	Heat	55

Kerr is the third-oldest active coach in the NBA right now. Doc Rivers would’ve ranked second at age 64, but he announced that he’d be stepping down as the Bucks coach after their season ended.

Kerr’s also the second-longest tenured coach with one single team in the league, with his 12 years in Golden State. Erik Spoelstra is in his 18th season with the Heat.

---