Why Steve Kerr's expiring contract with Warriors is leading to retirement questions for Golden State coach

Why Steve Kerr's expiring contract with Warriors is leading to retirement questions for Golden State coach originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Warriors have been a model of consistency across Steve Kerr's 12-year tenure as head coach, amassing more than 600 wins, six Finals appearances and four titles across his glistening career.

The well has dried up a bit in recent years. After posting six seasons of 53 or more wins in Kerr's first eight years in charge, the Dubs have failed to break 50 victories in a single campaign since 2021-22. The 2025-26 season was an unmitigated disaster for Golden State, which sunk below .500 for the first time since the turn of the decade.

The Warriors limped to a play-in berth despite their toils. But that wasn't enough to salvage an otherwise putrid campaign. With Golden State's nucleus of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green only getting older, the future looks far murkier than it did in years past.

That has some wondering what could be in the cards for Kerr come the end of the season. Here's the latest on Kerr's status going forward.

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Steve Kerr contract

Kerr is in the final year of a two-year, $35 million extension he agreed with the Warriors in 2024. He has not yet agreed to an extension with the Dubs; ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel previously reported that Golden State wanted to offer Kerr an extension, even if it only spans a year.

On the first day of training camp, Kerr told reporters that he was "very comfortable" going into the campaign with one year left on his contract.

“I’m so aligned with [GM] Mike [Dunleavy] and [owner] Joe [Lacob]," Kerr said in October, per NBC Sports Bay Area. "There’s no reason for discussion [or] concern. This is kind of a point in our relationship where it’s like, let’s just see how it is at the end of the year.”

Kerr has expressed interest in re-upping with Golden State upon the expiry of his contract. However, neither he nor Warriors brass sought to enter negotiations during the season.

“I think Steve has answered that question; there’s nothing more I can say,” Golden State principal owner Joe Lacob toldthe San Francisco Standard's Tim Kawamaki in February. “He has said we’re going to wait until after the season. That’s 100% accurate. We’ve discussed it. No point in talking about it now.

“He’s got a job to do. Let’s just let people focus — I mean, why would you do that now? Let’s just focus on the season. Really, it’s up to him. What does he want to do? And he doesn’t know, I don’t think. So, we’ll have that discussion later.”

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Will Steve Kerr retire?

At present, it's unclear whether Kerr will hang up his clipboard for good. At 60 years old, Kerr is the fourth-oldest coach in the NBA. Prior to the start of the year, he expressed a desire to remain on the Warriors' sideline for "another few years."

“I love my job,” Kerr said in October. “I love what I’m doing every day ... hopefully I’m here for another few years. Hopefully we run it back and we keep going with this group. But I like the fact that we can just kind of do it how we want to do it.”

However, Kerr did acknowledge that there was a possibility that his Warriors career could come to a close sooner rather than later.

“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.”

What's next for Steve Kerr?

In the event Kerr does step away from the Warriors, it's hard to imagine him setting his sights on another franchise. He is one of the architects of Golden State's dynasty, helping create a basketball ecosystem like no other in the sport.

Kerr appears interested in running things back with Golden State. In an interview with The Athletic, he waxed lyrical about the fine details that motivate him to return to the bench even as the losses pile up.

“This,” Kerr said of the factors that motivate his desire to compete. “Coming in and seeing the guys and having a film session, trying to help them win. And having dinner with the coaches, and the camaraderie that exists when you are in the foxhole together.

"You’ve lost five in a row, and it sucks — it’s all relative. It sucks, but it’s so awesome to be with a group of great guys and try to win a basketball game. I love all of it. And you have to embrace the challenge and the fact that every year’s just gonna be different.”

Kerr's words seem to indicate that he's open to returning to the Warriors upon the end of his current deal. However, the onus appears to be on Golden State's front office to make that decision. The Warriors posted their worst record since 2019-20 under Kerr's tutelage. While Kerr looks open to making a return, the Warriors' front office brass could decide otherwise in the hopes of injecting life into a roster that looked dour for much of the year.

How old is Steve Kerr?

Kerr is 60 years old. He'll turn 61 on Sept. 27.