Rick Carlisle revealed that he inspired Steve Kerr to simply accept the Golden State Warriors’ head teaching job as an alternative of pursuing the New York Knicks in 2014, a choice that helped launch one of many NBA’s biggest dynasties.
Showing on The Draymond Inexperienced Present, the Indiana Pacers head coach recalled a short dialog with Kerr earlier than Golden State employed him.
“I mentioned, ‘I’ve heard your identify with Golden State a bit bit,’” Carlisle mentioned. “I mentioned, ‘That could be a convention finals crew like proper now. And if you wish to go to a crew that’s like able to win, I imply, that’s the place you need to go if you happen to can.’ And we ended the dialog. A couple of minutes later, two days later, he took the Golden State job.”
On the time, Kerr was some of the sought-after teaching candidates within the league. He had been linked to each the Warriors and Knicks, with New York led by former Bulls coach Phil Jackson, who had employed Kerr as a broadcaster throughout his time at TNT and reportedly seen him as a prime candidate.
Carlisle, nevertheless, believed Golden State already had the items in place to contend instantly. His evaluation proved prophetic.
Kerr inherited a roster that includes Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Inexperienced. In his first season, the Warriors completed 67-15 and received the 2015 NBA championship. Golden State went on to succeed in six NBA Finals in eight seasons underneath Kerr, capturing 4 championships and establishing one of many league’s defining dynasties.
Greater than a decade later, Kerr stays on the Warriors’ bench. In Might 2026, he signed a two-year contract extension that keeps him with the franchise through the 2027-28 season, ending hypothesis that he would possibly retire after Golden State’s disappointing 37-45 marketing campaign in 2025-26.
The Warriors missed the playoffs final season after dropping within the Play-In Match, ending tenth within the Western Convention with a 37-45 report. Stephen Curry as soon as once more led the crew with 26.6 factors per recreation whereas capturing 39.3% from three-point vary throughout 43 appearances. Jimmy Butler added 20.0 factors in 38 video games earlier than suffering a torn ACL that’s anticipated to sideline him for a good portion of the 2026-27 season.
Regardless of the setback, Golden State has doubled down on its veteran core. The franchise re-signed Draymond Green to a five-year extension, and Curry turns into eligible to signal a two-year, $136.7 million most extension later this summer time. The Warriors additionally added Michigan ahead Yaxel Lendeborg with the eleventh general choose within the 2026 NBA Draft, hoping he can contribute instantly alongside veterans Curry, Inexperienced and Kristaps Porzingis.
Kerr mentioned after signing his extension that his relationship with Curry and Inexperienced performed a serious position in his choice to proceed teaching.
