Steve Kerr suggested his time in Golden State could be nearing an end after the Warriors were eliminated from the play-in tournament on Friday night.
The defending champions’ season ended with a 111-96 loss in Phoenix, where 38-year-old Stephen Curry scored 17 points. The Suns secured the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference and will open their first-round series against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.
Speaking after the defeat, Kerr — who has just completed his 12th season as Warriors head coach — acknowledged uncertainty about his future. “It might still go on. It may not,” he said. In the closing moments he embraced Curry and Draymond Green and appeared to mouth “thank you,” but when asked what he had said Kerr smiled and replied, “None of your business.”
Both franchise cornerstones made their feelings clear. Curry said he wants Kerr to stay and that he hopes the coach is happy and excited about continuing. Green, who has spent his entire career with the Warriors, admitted he doesn’t handle change well and said he’d rather not imagine the team without Kerr.
Kerr, 60, is coaching on the final season of his current contract and has been the subject of ongoing speculation. He finished this season with a 604-353 Warriors record across 12 years, led the team to the NBA Finals in each of his first five seasons and returned once more since, and also coached USA Basketball to Olympic gold at the Paris Games in 2024.
He said he will meet owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy in the coming days or weeks to discuss the offseason and the franchise’s direction. “We’ll talk about what’s next for the Warriors, what the plan is this offseason,” Kerr said. “We will come to a collaborative decision on what’s next. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I still love coaching but I get it, these jobs all have an expiration date. There’s a run that happens, and when the run ends, sometimes it’s time for new blood and new ideas… If that’s the case, then I will be just nothing but grateful for the most amazing opportunity any person could have to coach this franchise.”
Elsewhere on Friday night, the Orlando Magic beat the Charlotte Hornets 121-90 in their play-in game to claim the Eastern Conference’s No. 8 seed. Paolo Banchero led the Magic with 25 points, adding five rebounds and six assists. Franz Wagner contributed 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists. LaMelo Ball scored 23 points with five assists for the Hornets.
The 2026 NBA playoffs begin Sunday, April 19, with opening-round matchups set. Western Conference first-round pairings are:
– Oklahoma City Thunder (1) vs Phoenix Suns (8)
– San Antonio Spurs (2) vs Portland Trail Blazers (7)
– Denver Nuggets (3) vs Minnesota Timberwolves (6)
– Los Angeles Lakers (4) vs Houston Rockets (5)
Eastern Conference first-round matchups are:
– Detroit Pistons (1) vs Orlando Magic (8)
– Boston Celtics (2) vs Philadelphia 76ers (7)
– New York Knicks (3) vs Atlanta Hawks (6)
– Cleveland Cavaliers (4) vs Toronto Raptors (5)
Kerr’s next steps will hinge on discussions with ownership and the front office. For now, the Warriors’ season is over and a decision about whether Kerr’s run in Golden State continues will be one of the offseason’s biggest storylines.