The Golden State Warriors finished their season with more questions than answers. The roster needed work. The front office faced decisions on multiple veterans. And the future of the man who has coached the franchise to four championships was genuinely uncertain.
Steve Kerr took time away after the season ended before committing to anything. Multiple meetings with the organization followed. The outcome was not guaranteed.
Even one of his closest players wasn’t sure it was going to happen.
Green Reveals His Initial Doubts
GettyGolden State Warriors forward Draymond Green.
Draymond Green addressed Kerr’s return on his podcast this week, and he was honest about where his head was in the immediate aftermath of the season. At first, he did not think Kerr was coming back.
“My gut was telling me that it wasn’t happening,” Green said on “The Draymond Green Show.”
That changed as the process moved forward. Green said his thinking started to shift in the weeks that followed, especially after conversations around Kerr’s future began to take a more encouraging turn.
Green spoke directly with Kerr during the process, and what he heard shifted his thinking entirely. The tone of those conversations made it clear that Kerr had found a new energy after stepping away. “He was rejuvenated,” Green said, describing what he sensed from his coach heading into their talks with the organization.
From that point, Green said he could see things trending in the right direction. Once the deal came together, his reaction was straightforward. He is excited to get back to work, and he believes Kerr’s return is well deserved.
What Kerr’s Return Means for the Warriors
GettySteve Kerr, Golden State Warriors.
The two-year extension keeps Kerr in place through at least the 2027-28 season. If he coaches both years, he will match Al Attles as the longest-tenured head coach in Warriors history, a milestone that reflects just how significant his run with this organization has been.
Kerr has been the head coach for 12 of Green’s 13 NBA seasons. That continuity matters, particularly for a team navigating a complicated offseason with roster decisions still ahead. Having stability at the top of the coaching staff removes at least one major variable from an otherwise uncertain summer.
Stephen Curry will be back. Green, while not yet officially opted into the final year of his four-year, $100 million deal, has made clear he is ready to return. The core is intact. The question now is what gets built around it.
What Comes Next for the Warriors
Kerr’s return provides a foundation. The harder work begins this offseason as Golden State weighs decisions on Jimmy Butler, Kristaps Porzingis, and whether to pursue a major addition like Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Green acknowledged during the conversation that things needed to change. That sentiment from a player of his standing carries weight. It suggests the organization is not simply running the same formula back and hoping for different results.
Kerr is back and by all accounts energized. Green is ready. Curry is Curry.
Final Word
The band is back together. What they do with this offseason will define whether that means anything.
Green’s take on Kerr’s return was refreshing. He doubted it. Then he felt the shift. Now he’s locked in.
For a franchise with championship expectations baked in, that energy from a veteran leader matters more than it might seem.
The rest follows from here.
Warriors’ Draymond Green Drops Honest Admission on Steve Kerr Return