Warriors rumors: The bombshell Steve Kerr-Knicks ‘what if’ that would have led to Fred Hoiberg

As the Golden State Warriors turn their attention to the 2026-27 season following their Play-In Tournament exit, a familiar “what if” scenario has resurfaced involving head coach Steve Kerr and the New York Knicks.

Long known around the league, Kerr came close to accepting the Knicks’ head coaching job in 2014 before ultimately choosing Golden State. The decision has since become one of the most consequential turning points in recent NBA history.

Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times revisited that scenario this week, pointing to how differently things could have unfolded.

“The biggest ‘what if’ in the NBA coaching department in the last 15 years – if Steve Kerr would have taken the Knicks job instead of GS – which he almost did – next up for the Warriors was Fred Hoiberg.”

Kerr’s choice to join Golden State instead of New York helped launch one of the league’s defining dynasties. Under his leadership, the Warriors captured four NBA championships while building a system centered around Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

Had Kerr taken the Knicks job, Cowley noted that Fred Hoiberg was positioned as a leading candidate to coach Golden State. Hoiberg instead made his NBA transition with the Chicago Bulls in 2015, where his tenure produced mixed results. Chicago reached the playoffs in his first season but struggled to maintain consistency, leading to his dismissal during the 2018-19 campaign as the organization pivoted.

Warriors stability under Steve Kerr contrasts Bulls, Knicks coaching turnover

The Bulls have continued to experience turnover since Hoiberg’s departure. Most recently, head coach Billy Donovan stepped away from the organization as of Tuesday morning, adding to a series of changes as the franchise searches for long-term direction.

New York has undergone similar shifts. The Knicks moved on from Tom Thibodeau following last season’s Eastern Conference Finals appearance and are now led by former Warriors assistant Mike Brown. Brown currently has New York in a first-round playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks, marking another chapter in the franchise’s evolving leadership.

The hypothetical scenario continues to highlight the ripple effects of Kerr’s decision. While Golden State became a perennial contender, both the Knicks and Bulls have navigated multiple coaching changes in the years since.

Golden State now enters another pivotal offseason following its latest early exit. Kerr remains in place, but the renewed attention on his near move to New York underscores how a single decision can alter the trajectory of multiple franchises.

In hindsight, the situation remains one of the league’s most compelling “what ifs,” illustrating how close several organizations came to vastly different paths.

The post Warriors rumors: The bombshell Steve Kerr-Knicks ‘what if’ that would have led to Fred Hoiberg appeared first on ClutchPoints.