Will Steve Kerr return? What we know about Warriors’ immediate future

Time is all the Golden State Warriors have this offseason, something that has been a rare commodity over the last decade given their string of excellence and NBA Finals runs. As much as this time to rest, recuperate, and reset is a blessing, it is also a curse that has left the Warriors with significant immediate uncertainty, especially regarding head coach Steve Kerr.

When the Phoenix Suns were up 16 points with about one minute remaining in the 8-seed game via the Western Conference play-in tournament, Kerr knew the season was over.

Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and others were subbed out for the final time this year, and both of Golden State’s veterans were embraced by Kerr. This wasn’t necessarily a goodbye for the 60-year-old coach, but it was a moment he needed to share with Curry and Green, two pillars of the organization who will forever be part of Kerr’s family and legacy.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen next, but I love you guys to death,” Kerr told Curry and Green during their embrace in Phoenix. “Thank you.”

Uncertainty about not only his future but also the direction of the Warriors is what fueled this moment between the coach and his two future Hall of Famers.

Kerr entered the 2025-26 season with an expiring contract, and he was at peace with the organization not coming to a resolution to what happens next before the year began. Contract talks never reached a point where a new deal would be reached before the season, and Kerr had no problem with this, league sources told ClutchPoints.

Although this wasn’t Golden State’s “Last Dance” season, which Kerr is all too familiar with stemming from his days playing alongside Michael Jordan on the Chicago Bulls, there was certainly a feeling within the organization that the 2025-26 season would be the last iteration of this team.

Between Kerr’s contract, Green’s future being discussed at the trade deadline, and Jimmy Butler suffering his ACL injury, all signs past the All-Star break in February pointed in the direction of major changes taking place once the offseason began in San Francisco.

After failing to make the playoffs for the second time in the last three seasons, an offseason of mystery has begun for the Warriors, and nothing will happen until Joe Lacob, Mike Dunleavy Jr., Kerr, and other high-ranking officials come to a decision on the head coach’s future.

Steve Kerr’s future still unknown

When will a decision be made on whether Kerr will return as the head coach of the Warriors?

With internal meetings already commencing over the weekend, Kerr and the organization are expected to come to terms on what is next this week, sources told ClutchPoints. By the start of May, there should be a clear answer as to whether Kerr will be the head coach of the Warriors entering the 2026-27 season.

No decision has been made by Golden State’s leadership and Kerr as of yet, with one source close to the matter making it clear that a clear direction for the franchise will be presented by the time Dunleavy, scouts, and others depart for the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago during the second week of May.

Despite mixed signals throughout the season regarding whether he wants to continue coaching the Warriors or not, Kerr himself has yet to inform any member of the organization whether he wants to remain the coach of the team.

Of course, Kerr doesn’t want to leave Curry and Green high and dry. For years, the ideology surrounding Golden State has been that all three members of this championship era would ride things out together. Specifically, Kerr and Curry would retire together.

But the timeline for Green’s eventual retirement appears to be ahead of Curry’s, and Kerr’s immediate future will be decided in a matter of days.

Green and Curry are still under contract with the Warriors for at least one more season, but will they be receiving signals and calls from someone else on the sideline other than Kerr at the start of the 2026-27 season? Would Green remain on the roster if Kerr leaves?

After all, Green owns a $27.6 million player option that dictates a lot of what the Warriors can do this offseason, and he was heavily involved in trade talks at the deadline for Giannis Antetokounmpo, sources said. Without Kerr, who has long supported Green and voiced his opinion to the organization to keep him around through controversial events, it’s not hard to believe his time with Golden State would end.

All roads for the Warriors’ future start with a decision about Kerr, so what do we actually know about the situation?

There is not one person within the organization who wants Kerr to walk away, sources said.

Lacob and Dunleavy have both made it known to Kerr that they want him back, as have Curry, Green, and the entire locker room. One of the main reasons Butler feels so comfortable with the Warriors since arriving at last year’s trade deadline is due to the family-like atmosphere Kerr has helped create.

Kerr is beloved within the walls of the franchise, and him walking away in the offseason would signal a major shift in philosophy for this organization at the end of Curry’s career.

Some changes need to be made, and nobody with the Warriors would deny this.

From roster and rotation changes to possible scheme updates to adjustments in how the team develops players — all of these topics will be discussed in continued meetings this week and factor into Kerr’s ultimate decision, one that will be agreed upon by him, Lacob, and Dunleavy.

This is not a decision that ownership or Kerr will make alone, as all parties want to be on the same page about the direction of the franchise. More importantly, there are no outside factors playing a role in Kerr’s decision, sources said.

The Warriors coach is solely focused on the franchise and its immediate future, not what his life would look like outside of being on the sidelines and what would potentially come next, which would include offers from NBC, Amazon, and other media companies.

Contract length and money will not be the determining factors in this decision. Ultimately, it will come down to Kerr wanting to continue coaching and having the same fire he did years ago to make the necessary changes for the success of the franchise, philosophical changes that will be discussed between him, Dunleavy, and Lacob.

Over the next few days, the answer will present itself as to whether Golden State is officially moving in a new direction or not.

What will change with or without Kerr?

As reported on April 21, team sources have indicated that major roster changes will take place if the decision for Kerr to no longer coach the team is made. This still holds true, as the entire organization awaits word on what will happen with Kerr.

One of the big topics to be discussed in meetings this week for the Warriors revolves around the idea of remaining competitive in a crowded Western Conference. With or without Kerr, the expectation from Lacob is to be in the championship equation, which is one of the reasons why the Dubs have been so aggressive when it comes to pursuing talent over the last several years.

Lacob has always made it clear that his organization’s championship efforts won’t die out with Curry, Kerr, and Green.

That is also a big reason why there isn’t a sense of a grand retirement tour for the three within the organization. Lacob expects to win, and he has always been willing to spend top dollar to make this happen. Whether Kerr remains the head coach or not, Golden State will still seek win-now moves to try and compete for championships at the end of Curry’s career.

If that means Kerr and Green remaining, then so be it, but neither is a given at this juncture.

Pursuing trades for another superstar is not off the table this offseason, as Kawhi Leonard has been linked to them since Golden State attempted a last-minute push for the LA Clippers star before the deadline. However, pursuing a star like Leonard would not be easy for the Warriors to achieve financially.

For example, Green’s $27.6 million contract would only be half of the puzzle. With Butler ($56.8M) and Moses Moody ($12.5M) sidelined indefinitely with their respective knee injuries, Golden State will find it extremely difficult to pull off a blockbuster offseason deal without sacrificing a vast majority of its future draft capital.

The chances of the organization trading Green certainly increase without Kerr on the sidelines, but the Warriors would only consider doing so for a player who would drastically improve their championship outlook.

And as for other players on the roster, Kerr’s influence impacts decisions for Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton. Whereas Melton owns a $3.4 million player option and will likely opt out to enter unrestricted free agency, Horford would strongly consider opting in to his $6 million player option if Kerr remains the head coach.

One of the main reasons Horford picked the Dubs was to contend for a title at the end of his career. If Kerr leaves and the Dubs look to reset the roster around Curry, the chances of Horford opting out and becoming a free agent increase tenfold.

Then there is Kristaps Porzingis.

When the Warriors traded Jonathan Kuminga to the Atlanta Hawks for Porzingis, they did so with the intent of keeping the Latvian big man past his expiring contract, sources said.

Porzingis, who will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, has made it known he has no idea what his immediate future looks like, but he has stated how grateful he is for the Warriors and the team’s medical staff for helping him with his health issues. He has also stated how much he has enjoyed playing with the team and being teammates with both Green and Curry.

Still, Kerr’s decision looms large. Should he leave, there is a chance all four players listed above do not return for the 2026-27 season. Such a decision would signal a complete organizational shift, one that would likely see Golden State reset financially and avoid major tax penalties.

The Warriors are ready to move in any direction as an organization, and a lot about the immediate future remains a mystery. Then again, the one thing that is certain is that everyone wants Kerr back.

Whether he wants to return will be answered this upcoming week.

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