The Golden State warriors did not reach a contract extension with head coach Steve Kerr before the deadline, NBA writer Monte Poole of NBC Sports reported on Monday. Kerr, who led the Warriors to their second NBA championship in three years last June, is eligible for a contract extension with two years still left on his current deal.
Kerr, 52, signed a 5-year deal with the Warriors in 2014, guiding the team to three straight NBA finals appearance and NBA championships in 2015 and 2017. The coaching job is paying the coach handsomely at $5 million per year, though it’s not the most lucrative gig in the NBA.
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is earning $11 million per year, while coach/executive Minnesota Timberwolves’ Tom Thibodeau and Los Angeles Clippers’ Doc Rivers are taking home $10 million annually.
What’s the future ahead?
That said, money has never been an issue for Kerr, who still enjoys coaching one of the strongest teams the NBA has ever seen. However, his well-documented bouts with spine and head problems as a result of complications from a back surgery in 2015 could become a factor to an early retirement. Warriors GM Bob Myers said that right now Kerr is focusing on his long-term health. The executive added that Kerr can be the Warriors’ coach for as long as he wants, squashing speculations of an imminent coaching change in the Bay Area.
More news out of Golden State
Nick Young, who signed a one-year, $5 million deal with the Warriors in the offseason, is reportedly losing his rotation spot to another Warriors newcomer, Omri Casspi. Anthony Slater of The Athletic reported that Casspi has taken a ‘clear lead’ over Young after three weeks of training camp. Young, also known as Swaggy P, came to camp out shape while Casspi showed right away he’s better fit in Kerr’s small-ball system.
“He fits into everything that we do,” Kerr said of Casspi in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle. “He’s a cutter. He’s a spacer. He sees the game as it unfolds. He’s going to be really good for us.”
Casspi, playing on a veteran minimum contract, is ecstatic to finally play for a good team after bouncing around the league the last 3-4 years.
The seven-year veteran had stints with the Sacramento Kings, Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Pelicans prior to signing with the Warriors. Although he could miss Golden State’s season opener against the Rockets because of an ankle injury he suffered on Friday, Casspi is expected to receive significant playing team with the team's second unit.
