Former Warriors GM reacts to Steve Kerr’s record-breaking contract extension
The coach inked a two-year, $35 million contract.
The former GM of the Golden State Warriors, Bob Myers, responded to Steve Kerr’s contract extension with the franchise. The coach signed a two-year, $35 million deal, marking the highest in NBA history. Myers, now an ESPN commentator, affirmed that the multi-champion deserves the renewal, citing Kerr’s pivotal role in leading the team to four titles and being instrumental in the development of stars like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.
“Stephen [Curry] was very young, Klay [Thompson] and Draymond [Green] too. Steve led the team in a way where he said, ‘Guys, this will be the hardest thing you’ve ever done, but I’ve done it.’ He knew. He did. We can say all these things, but having a player say that to other players meant a lot,” Myers reflected.
“For me, being a young GM and watching him lead that team to one title and then three more, I’m eternally grateful. I wish he was making $50 million a year,” he continued. Draymond Green also commented on the coach’s extension, joking about the amount but expressing his happiness and emphasizing Kerr’s worthiness.
“Man, all I know is what they’re saying is a lot of money, right?” Green quipped. “But I think it’s incredible. I wouldn’t want to finish my tenure with the franchise with any other coach than him. So, we’re in this together. It was never a concern for me that an extension between him and the franchise hadn’t been worked out yet. I’m happy,” the veteran rejoiced.
In contrast to Myers and Green, Steve Kerr chose not to disclose details of the new deal with the Warriors. He mentioned that the extension is not official yet but expressed contentment with the renewal.
“I’d prefer not to talk about it right now. It’s not something that has been signed yet; we’re talking and almost there. We have to wait for it to become official. What I can say is that I feel very comfortable with my future here,” Kerr stated.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the new contract makes the multi-title-winning coach the highest-paid annually in NBA history. The agreement will be effective from the 2024/25 season until the following year, 2025/26, with a total value of $35 million, or $17.5 million per year. The only contract in history surpassing this in terms of annual value is Gregg Popovich’s current deal with the San Antonio Spurs, which was finalized in the 2023/24 offseason. However, Popovich also holds the role of the team’s president of basketball operations. Another crucial aspect of the extension, according to Wojnarowski, is that the Warriors are keeping Steve Kerr until at least the end of Stephen Curry’s contract with the team. The star has an additional two years on his deal, receiving an additional $115.3 million over the next two years. Both contracts will conclude in 2025/26. Thus, Golden State secures the coach who won four titles in nine years alongside the franchise’s prominent figure, amid a period of uncertainty and transition. This involves the rise of young talents like Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski and the challenges faced by beloved figures such as Klay Thompson, whose contract renewal remains complex.
