The Golden State Warriors' season ended with a loss to the Suns, raising questions about coach Steve Kerr's future. An emotional embrace with players Stephen Curry and Draymond Green fueled speculation about his potential departure.
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Steve Kerr embrace with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green increases speculation about Warriors coach's future originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Warriors' season is over. Now, the question is whether it's the end of an entire era for Golden State.
A Play-In Tournament loss to the Suns kept the Warriors out of the playoffs for the second time in three seasons, and it officially started the clock on key offseason decisions, including the future of coach Steve Kerr.
The Warriors likely aren't looking to axe Kerr after four championships in 12 seasons, but the longtime coach is without a contract for next season and has been noncommittal about his future.
As the final game of the Warriors' season ended, an embrace between Kerr, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green only added to the speculation that the 60-year-old might be nearing the end of his time in the Bay Area.
Here's a look at the emotional moment and Kerr's future with the Warriors.
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With the Warriors' fate sealed, Kerr was all smiles as he put his arms around Curry and Green and embraced them in Phoenix.
Kerr shared some words with Curry and Green, who appeared to just let him say what he had to say. Only lip readers can tell what he said, but many fans took note of the interaction as an especially heartfelt moment between the coach and two players who have been by his side the entire way.
The Warriors lost to the Suns in the Play-In Tournament, missing the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.
Steve Kerr is currently without a contract for next season, leading to uncertainty about his future with the team.
The embrace has sparked speculation that Steve Kerr may be nearing the end of his tenure as the Warriors' coach.
Steve Kerr has won four championships with the Warriors during his 12 seasons as head coach.
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When asked about his message to Curry and Green after the game, Kerr smiled and said, "None of your business."
In a league where nothing is forever, Curry and Green have worn a Warriors uniform throughout Kerr's entire 12-year tenure with the Warriors. Both preceded Kerr with Golden State, and they have been the two constants from the day he took the job in 2014.
The embrace could very well have been a standard end-of-season hug, but with Kerr's contract expiring and the future uncertain, it may have also been the end of an era.
Kerr hasn't spoken much about his future with the Warriors, but his contract expires at the end of this season and he was noncommittal about staying on in comments made before the season.
"If it’s meant to be for me to keep going, then I’m going to keep going," Kerr said. "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. Just, let’s see where we are at the end of the year."
While Kerr said he was fully aligned with the Warriors' front office, he said he was comfortable coaching without a long-term deal and kicked the can down the road on a decision.
After Friday's loss, Kerr said he will take a week or two to step back before talking with the Warriors' front office and coming to a "collaborative decision on what's next" for him. "These jobs all have an expiration date," he added.