The Steve Kerr iteration of the Golden State Warriors has gone through many eventful offseasons. From signing Kevin Durant in 2016 and his departure in 2019, to moving on 2022 playoff hero Jordan Poole just 12 months later and parting ways with franchise legend Klay Thompson in 2024.
Steve Kerr has seen it all throughout his 12-season tenure with Golden State. Now, six Finals appearances and four NBA championships later, it's his turn to be the talk of the town.
It's been a really tough season for the 60-year-old coach. A couple of his core players suffered devastating season-ending injuries, while his main guy had to deal with one that kept him out for a long 27-game stretch. On top of those harsh blows, minor injuries kept piling up, forcing Kerr to use 43 different starting lineups over the course of an 82-game season, the third-most in franchise history.
But it wasn't all doom and gloom for Kerr. On March 16 in Washington, he became just the 28th coach in NBA history to reach the 600-win mark, and the fourth-fastest to do so, trailing only Phil Jackson, Pat Riley, and Red Auerbach. While the Warriors' season ended abruptly in Phoenix last Friday, the win against the Clippers served as a major silver lining in an otherwise grim campaign.
While the wave of injuries completely derailed their season, it also offered plenty of golden opportunities for the younger guys to shine, something they don't take for granted.
Emerging Warriors seized chance Kerr — and the injuries — gave them
All the injuries that virtually ruined the Warriors' season have been a blessing in disguise for some players, starting with Brandin Podziemski and Gui Santos. Both had to quickly step up into bigger roles with more responsibilities, and the Warriors might benefit from that development in the near future.
Podziemski, who will enter the last year of his rookie contract next season, has already expressed his desire to stay with the franchise that drafted him.
“I wanna be here for the long term. It’s always special having a team draft you and so hopefully we can get something done," Podziemski said in his closeout interview. “Definitely full of gratitude. He (Kerr) gave me a big opportunity that most young guys don’t get, so definitely thankful on that end but I think Steph said it best, whatever makes him happy, whatever he wants to do, whatever brings joy to him at this point in his life. We’d love to have him back but if his happiness takes him other way that’s his choice”.
As injuries continued to ravage the Warriors' guard depth, Podziemski rapidly became a more dependable piece in Kerr’s rotation. He finished the season as just one of 18 players across the league to suit up for all 82 games, and despite all the outside noise, put together the best season of his young career.
In his third year in the league, he put up career-highs in points, minutes, field-goal percentage, three-pointers made and free-throw percentage. But it’s in the team-leader categories that his durability stands out most, as he ranked first on the team in total rebounds while finishing second in points, assists and steals.
Gui Santos proved Golden State's biggest development piece
Meanwhile, Santos was thrust into a bigger role when Jimmy Butler suffered his season-ending injury on January 19, and his growth has been nothing short of remarkable. The 55th pick in the 2022 draft went from averaging just over six points and three rebounds per game in January to over 15, almost six rebounds and four asists in February.
The organization rewarded that evolution with a 3-year, $15 million contract extension he signed on February 28. Prior to that deal, it was in Phoenix, in the Warriors' first game after the trade deadline, that Santos realized he'd moved up in the pecking order.
“When Steve drew up a play for me for the first time and I was like ‘damn that’s different now’. That was my favorite moment that I like realized how much my role had changed at that time," Santos said when describing the moment. "Steve is special for me. He was the coach that gave me my first opportunity to play in the NBA. He realized a dream for me. The fact that he was a player for a long time, he really understands what the players go through. I want to be coached by him my whole career if I can," Santos said about his coach.
Far from every player gets to showcase their potential on an NBA stage. Take second-round picks, for example. They usually have to spend some formative time in the G League before being called up to the big leagues. Sometimes, though, whether because of their potential or the team’s needs, they are given a role right away, and that was the case for the Warriors’ last two second-round picks.
First and second-year duo show gratitude for Steve Kerr
Quinten Post, drafted with the 52nd pick in 2024, started 35 games for Golden State last season before eventually seeing his role diminish, mainly due to a foot injury that caused him to miss 16 games over the final two months. But his respect and admiration for Kerr hasn't dwindled one bit.
“Steve is an absolute legend of course and I’ve learned so much from him over the last two years. Seeing how his mind works, seeing how he approaches the game. I think he’s absolutely brilliant. I hope he’s back, but he needs to make that decision for himself."
Will Richard, the 56th pick in the 2025 draft appeared in 69 games last season, including 21 starts. If Kerr kept putting him out there, that meant he saw something in the rookie out of Florida, and Richard proved him right. He finished as just one of nine rookies with at least 70 threes and 50 steals this season.
“Just a great coach in general, just from the way he poured into me from when I first got here and the trust he put in me early on in the season, that meant a lot from a coach like that," Richard said during his closeout interview.
What about guys that didn't even get to be drafted? In a season like last year's, the coaching staff had to find as many trustworthy players as possible, no matter the track record.
Pat Spencer, who had already appeared in a Warriors uniform as a two-way player before, earned himself a standard NBA contract on February 7. He averaged close to 10 points and four assists the last three months of the season, and while his spot on next year's roster isn't guaranteed, he's grateful for the opportunity he was given.
“I owe Steve everything. He’s been like a second father to me since I’ve been here as far as giving me guidance day in and day out. When you need a level-headed opinion, someone to bounce anything off of, he’s the guy I go to. So just grateful for our relationship, what he’s done for me. I can’t say enough about him, it’d be an honor to have him back here. "
This offseason is just getting underway for the Warriors, and the first order of business seems to be settling the head coach position. Whether the coach is named Steve Kerr or not, Dub Nation will have to wait at least a week before Kerr sits down with general manager Mike Dunleavy and owner Joe Lacob to discuss his future.
In the meantime, it may be worth taking a page out of the book of every players mentioned above and appreciate what we've witnessed over the past decade-plus, whether it is indeed over or not.
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