A lot is still up in the air when it comes to Steve Kerr’s future as head coach of the Golden State Warriors. Right now, it feels like things are leaning towards Kerr exiting and there are already rumors about who could replace him.
One popular rumor that has picked up steam is that the Warriors are eyeing University of Florida head coach Todd Golden as a replacement if Kerr decides to move on. If the Warriors did choose Golden to succeed Kerr, that would signal that owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy are opting for a full-scale rebuild.
Warriors may tear it all down if they hire Todd Golden
Golden would be coming straight from the college ranks with no prior NBA experience as a player or coach. That’s not the kind of guy you bring in if you want to try and make a few more runs with an aging core of players.
That’s the sort of hire that you want to come in and establish a new system and culture that can help rebuild the team basically from the ground up. Hiring Golden would probably signal that veteran Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler and Al Horford would all be gone. Don’t expect a Kristaps Porzingis reunion. Heck, even Stephen Curry’s departure could be on the cards unless he decides he is okay with being a mentor figure on a non-competitive team.
That would be a lot to digest for a franchise whose fans have had championship aspirations every season for over a decade. To go from that to a team with a bunch of young players trying to build something new would be jarring, but perhaps necessary.
If the Warriors did do that, Lacob’s ego would certainly have something to do with it all. It’s clear that he feels he doesn't get enough credit for Golden State’s dynasty. He might feel like if he could tear it all down and build another championship team from scratch, everyone would see that the initial success had just as much to do with him as Kerr, Bob Myers, Curry, Green, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant and Andre Igoudala.
We are a long way off from that though. While reporting suggests that Kerr is leaning towards retirement, that can change. Maybe the two sides are able to work something out and he returns next season.
But if he doesn’t, the Warriors have to begin thinking about the future. They don't have a contender right now and they likely won't unless they're able to land Giannis Antetokounmpo in a trade which seems unlikely.
Maybe they’d just hang on to their draft capital, trade away Green and Butler for more picks, and try to start anew with a young coach. Kerr called the Warriors a fading dynasty and perhaps the win against the Los Angeles Clippers in the Play-In was the last crackle of the fire before it was snuffed out with one fell swoop.
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