If we're to believe the latest reports on Steve Kerr's likely departure from the Golden State Warriors, the franchise will be on the search for a new head coach for the first time in 13 seasons.
It might be an unfamilair situation for the Warriors to be in, but they may already have an edge over a Western Conference rival in the Portland Trail Blazers who are under a new ownership regime looking to cut costs.
Warriors already have edge over Trail Blazers in looming coaching search
Portland are currently in a first-round series fight with the San Antonio Spurs after sensationally tying the series at 1-1 on Tuesday, but that's no guarantee that interim head coach Tiago Splitter will be given the role permanently going forward.
The primary issue is seemingly new owner Tom Dundon's desire to cut costs and pay little for a head coach in comparison to other NBA teams, including the Warriors who've had Steve Kerr on the highest annual salary for any coach in NBA history over the past two seasons.
ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported of the gap between Splitter and ownership on Tuesday, leading to potential turmoil within the franchise amid their current playoff run.
"Sources close to the situation told ESPN that Splitter was given a raise from his assistant coaching salary and discussed a longer-term contract during the season," Shelburne wrote. "The salary presented to him to continue on as head coach was far below a standard NBA head coaching salary, and further discussion was tabled until after the season, sources said."
As a result, reports have been rampant on Dundon speaking to multiple candidates to potentially replace Splitter despite the impression he's made after being the thrust into the role following Chauncey Billups' arrest as part of a federal gambling investigation.
Warriors willing to reward their head coach far more than Trail Blazers
With a myriad of young talent headlined by Deni Avdija and now Scoot Henderson after his breakout 31-point performance on Tuesday, you could argue the Trail Blazers are a more attractive team to coach than an aging Warrior team who just failed to make the playoffs.
However, that's unlikely to matter too much when there'd likely be a stark financial contrast if the two teams were chasing the same candidate. Joe Lacob and Golden State aren't going to pay a new coach anywhere near the realm of the two-year, $35 million deal that Kerr just concluded, but it's easy to assume that their offer would far exceed what Portland are willing to give.
That gives the Warriors an immediate edge over the Trail Blazers if both teams wind up searching for a new coach, with the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls and New Orleans Pelicans also looking to fill that position this offseason.
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