SAN FRANCISCO — Stephen Curry hasn't spoken to his coach about his contract extension. He simply took off his jersey after a last-minute clash between the Golden State Warriors and the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night as the Warriors won 97-84. When asked what he thinks of Steve Kerr's new two-year, $35 million contract, Curry shares everyone's thoughts.
That's the same length of my contract," Curry said with a smile, stepping into his shower slippers. "I just realized. ”
The $17.5 million isn't a standout number in Kerr's new contract, although it doubles his current expected salary and makes him the highest-paid coach on average. But the important number is "2". That's two years. Because it points to number 30.
NBA coaches are hired to get fired, and they don't sign short-term contracts. First, they usually need time to establish a plan. But more importantly, they will still be paid after they are fired. But Kerr's contract extension will be Curry's current four-year 2The $15.3 billion contract expires – after the 2025-26 season.
If I were him, I would do the same," Kevon Looney said. "He probably learned from (Greg) Popovich. ”
That's good news for Curry, the Warriors' flagship figure, who doesn't have to worry about having another coach for him. Because he definitely doesn't want another.
Of course not," Curry said.
Discussions about coaching tend to focus on rotation and strategy. These are visible components of the job. But the invisible part is often at least as important, if not more important. If the foundation of the team is not solid, everything that happens in the stadium does not matter. Especially in the social era, the job of coaching is more difficult, because they have to manage not only basketball players, but also entrepreneurs and big-name celebrities, as well as celebrities with complex lives. Over the past decade, for better or worse, the Warriors have seen both visible and invisible impacts.
No one expected the Warriors to let Kerr go, who is entering the final year of his contract this season. But the possibility exists, especially given the team's woes early in the season. But the Warriors leaned toward the Curry era by trading future core players James Wiseman and Jordan Poole, re-signing Draymond Green, acquiring Chris Paul and drafting rookies who can play immediately. Klay Thompson could get a new contract to stay in Golden State after this season.
The Warriors are committed to pursuing a championship while Curry is still dominant. And they want to do it together, and it's Cole leading it.
That's what they want, that's why they're still here. They want to stay with the Warriors until they retire and then hang their jerseys over the arena until that day, when they want Kerr to be their coach.
Warriors management wasn't always so sure about Kerr. His handling of young players used to frustrate some of the people above him. Maybe that's why the Warriors are willing to tie him to Curry's contract. Because if Curry retires, the Warriors may prefer to start a new era with a new coach.
Or Cole is on a two-year contract because he wants his future tied to the legends who helped him here.
In league history, there have been some players and coaches and trios and coaches with stories that rival ours," Curry said. "It's no accident. …He has always been such a stable presence. Not only X and O, but also managing the troughs and peaks that we are in, mainly the peaks. People thought it would be easy. But with success comes expectation. It's hard to keep things in a delicate balance, not just managing players and coaches here, but upwards. It's just a reminder that to do this job, you have to have a special personality and character. ”
The irony of all of this is that the journey between the superstar trio of Kerr and the Warriors begins with indecision. When Kerr was hired in 2014, Curry was still reluctant to be fired from Mark Jackson, who had fought to keep his job. Just when the Warriors were finally coming out on top, the Warriors hit the reset button when Curry felt like he had gotten through the turmoil of previous years. In addition to this, they hired another player-turned-announcer who had never been a coach before.
Curry said at the time that he would be open to new hires. What happened next elevated him from an NBA All-Star to a Hall of Famer. Kerr's offensive style further amplifies Curry's skills. One of those reasons, Curry said, is how Kerr handled this delicate transition.
He did not try to establish his own kingdom. He did the little things to honor what they had already built. He kept their team slogan ("Only We") on the wall. He publicly and regularly praised Jackson and firmly agreed that he had inherited great views.
Obviously," Curry said, "people talk about having a blessed list when he comes in, and he does." But that doesn't necessarily guarantee that fit will work. Moreover, he never said from day one that he was the key reason. ......He never had that feeling of just him and him, and that was the key. ”
Now they've been together for ten years. As their talent and health slowly seep out of their clenched hands, their chemistry becomes more and more important. On the contract, they now have one year plus another two years to re-climb the mountain.
For Curry and his fellow champions, the final years of their era were more about trust and cooperation, more important than most people understood. In a younger and younger league, they are considered to have been eliminated, so the bonds that are made are even more important. They trust Cole to manage the best they have left.
That's what Kerr really does best – really believing that he and his star players are a partnership. Their relationship is built on mutual benefit. At the end of a legendary career, this is even more important.
For now, 2026 is the next possible end-of-era date, barring unforeseen circumstances. The last three playoffs are working towards the fifth ring. Their "Last Dance" has a three-song time. When that point in time comes, this team may not be the same anymore. The team structure is likely to change. But at least they're ready to spend this time together.