OAKLAND — Most NBA offseason projects have a particular order: focus on the draft, zero in on free agency and then evaluate the summer-league roster.
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But when it comes to offering an extension to Warriors coach Steve Kerr, they have some flexibility. They could do it before, during or after the draft (June 21), free agency (July 1) or summer league (July 2-5 in Sacramento; July 6-17 in Las Vegas). The lack of clarity has nothing to do with any indecision. It appears it has everything to do with the Warriors feeling comfortable with Kerr.
“Whenever he wants to start. We’ll figure it out,” Warriors general manager Bob Myers said about Kerr. “I think the nice thing is we developed a camaraderie and we feel like he wants to be here. We want him here. We’ll work it out. If it happens later, it won’t be because it was put to the side. It was because organically it didn’t happen. But it’s going to happen. We can start whenever we want and however he feels comfortable beginning.”
Kerr sounded as comfortable about the topic as well when he guided the Warriors to three NBA titles in the past four years.
“We’ll get that done pretty quickly,” Kerr said. “I don’t think there will be much to it. It should happen relatively quickly.”
The Warriors’ front office and Kerr both had revealed in October their plan to have talks next offseason about extending his contract that currently expires following the 2018-19 season. The Warriors were always firm on their support for Kerr amid the team’s string of dominance. In October, Myers also had said that Kerr’s back pain stemmed from a surgery in 2015 “wasn’t a reason not to engage on our side.” Nonetheless, Kerr did not miss any games in the 2017-18 after missing the first 43 games of the 2015-16 season and the first 12 playoff games in 2017.
“You couldn’t locate or find a better individual, I think, on the planet to navigate a team trying to get to the Finals for the fourth year because of who he is, his makeup and how he is unique,” Myers said. “He checks so many boxes.”
