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As Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr’s contract ending this offseason, they could sign LeBron James in free agency to keep him around.
The future of the Golden State Warriors remains very uncertain, specifically as it relates to building another title-contending roster around Stephen Curry, as well as the coaching future of Steve Kerr.
The Curry-Kerr partnership has led to immense success, but as the coach is in the final year of his contract leading the team, both he and owner Joe Lacob have yet to address his future with the Warriors.
While Kerr’s future in Golden State is still unknown, the Warriors were urged to add LeBron James in free agency, both to give Curry another shot at winning a championship and to give Kerr a bit more job security for the next few years.
Speaking on his podcast, Bill Simmons discussed how if the Warriors land LeBron James in free agency, an idea that has picked up steam over the past few months, it would keep Kerr in town, while also giving Curry a new running mate to make one more title push in the final chapter of both of the stars’ careers.
Warriors Could Land LeBron James In Free Agency
Golden State already tried to trade for James at a previous deadline, but now, with his Los Angeles Lakers future seemingly coming to an end after this season, having him end his career in the Bay Area alongside Curry isn’t the wildest idea out there about his next chapter.
But as it relates to Kerr’s coaching future, adding a player like James would allow the Warriors to have one more shot at closing out their dynasty in storybook fashion, while keeping the coach in town for the next few years.
Bill Simmons predicts this will be Steve Kerr’s final season with the Warriors if they are unable to land LeBron James this offseason 🤔
“I think he either stays in LA or he goes to Golden State. Those would be my best,” Simmons said. “If [the Warriors] don’t get LeBron…I think this is it for Steve Kerr. I have no inside info. This would be the right kind of area for him to be like, ‘You know what, I’m gonna take a year, I’ll do some media, I’ll try to figure out if I want to keep coaching.‘”
Both Kerr and Lacob have pushed the decision on the coach’s return to the Warriors back until the offseason. However, as the franchise has faced some major struggles over the past few years, Kerr’s departure and Golden State’s search for a replacement seem more likely, especially given that he will not be under contract after this season.
Though James will turn 42 years old next season, he remains an impactful player, and as seen playing alongside Curry at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the aging duo could still do some damage on the court together.
“I might be wrong, but I wanted to go on the record,” Simmons added. “I think it’s going to be Golden State. That would be my bet…Golden State makes the most sense to me because they actually need him. And the narrative of, ‘I’m going to finish my career with Steph Curry, the other great player of my generation. We won Olympic gold medals together. The team kind of needs me.‘”
With this current Warriors roster, especially now with Draymond Green taking a step back, Jimmy Butler out for the foreseeable future, Kristaps Porzingis‘ inability to stay healthy, and chances of a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade fading, James could be their best option to have one more shot at winning a title.
Should Kerr leave, Golden State will likely spend Curry’s final seasons in disappointing fashion, similar to that of Kobe Bryant with the Lakers in the mid-2010s. But with James, it at least creates the opportunity for the Warriors to end their dynasty in style, riding off into the sunset, giving their star one more chance at a fifth championship since 2015.
Steve Kerr’s Coaching Future In Golden State
Regardless of whether the Warriors can land James in free agency this offseason, Kerr’s future with the franchise is very much up in the air. Despite his immense success leading the team to four titles, he isn’t under contract after this season, and neither he nor any of Golden State’s top decision-makers have made a commitment to him with the team going forward.
Steve Kerr has agreed on a two-year, $35 million contract extension with the Warriors, per @wojespn
He is now the highest paid coach in NBA history
“I think Steve has answered that question; there’s nothing more I can say,” Lacob said to Tim Kawakami of the San Francisco Standard. “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.”
While Kerr, Lacob, and general manager Mike Dunleavy have publicly said anything relating to the coach’s future in Golden State, a report from Logan Murdock of The Ringer signals that those within the organization believe this will be Kerr’s last year leading the Warriors.
“Though Kerr has publicly been mum about his future, multiple assistant coaches have been operating under the premise that he will not return next season, according to team sources, with some surveying the league to secure jobs next season,” he wrote in January.
If Kerr was staying, just like in the case of James with the Lakers, he would have already signed a new deal. But whether it comes down to his chances of winning a title with the Warriors, also like James‘ with Los Angeles, perhaps he is waiting to see how realistic a possibility that will be.
But for now, at least according to Simmons, signing James in free agency could give Kerr a bit more runway leading the Golden State, but regardless, once Curry retires, the coach will likely be gone too.
Eli Gregorski is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy Sports. He has years of sports writing experience covering the NBA, NFL, college football and basketball, international soccer, and Formula One. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder, where he was the assistant sports editor for the award-winning CU Independent student publication. More about Eli Gregorski
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