The Warriors are going to take care of their core. Stephen Curry got paid last summer, Kevin Durant will get his this summer, and the days are coming for Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
There’s also Steve Kerr.
The coach that was the architect of the style that has changed the league, the guy with the rings who has the respect of his players and knows when to push the right buttons, is part of that core, too. And now he is going to get paid as well, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Three-time NBA championship coach Steve Kerr is finalizing a contract extension that will make him one of the highest paid coaches in the NBA, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2018
“Highest paid” means he’s going to be making at least $7 million a year, although we don’t know the details.
Kerr after the Finals on the impending extension: “I’m going to need it because I just bought a house in San Francisco and I’m going to have to coach for another 20 years to afford that house." https://t.co/HG57ma9ICX
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) June 29, 2018
Kerr has said he loves coaching this team, which is why he keeps coming back. He missed time a couple of years ago with a back issue, which forced Luke Walton to coach during the season. Mike Brown has had to step up into the big chair as well at times for Kerr.
Kerr loves this team, these players, and the challenge of coaching an all-time great team. He likes coming up with ways to keep them engaged and fresh (even if it frustrates him at times). He loves the challenge of teams rising up to go at them, from Cleveland and LeBron James through Houston this season. Kerr doesn’t want to walk away from it. Not yet.
The Warriors are making sure he doesn’t have to.