Steve Kerr strongly considered retirement throughout Warriors season

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr decided to continue his tenure with the organization on a multi-year deal to keep him as the NBA's highest-paid coach. But that almost didn't happen. He seriously contemplated retirement, according to ESPN .

Although he never went through with the decision, there have been multiple instances where retirement has crossed his mind, per ESPN. ESPN says he discussed retirement for the first time in June 2025, about a month after the Warriors lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals in five games, losing star Stephen Curry to injury in the process. "My wife and I have been talking about it a lot," Kerr told ESPN's Wright Thompson then.

"I have a year left on my contract. Maybe one more season. Maybe two.

When Steph Curry and Draymond Green leave, the franchise deserves a clean start. We are one injury from completely falling apart. " That's nearly what happened during the 2025-26 campaign.