Steve Kerr's Historic $35m Contract Has Fans Celebrating Warriors' Head Coach

The Golden State Warriors and Steve Kerr have agreed to a two-year, $35 million contract to keep him in the Bay Area through the 2025-26 season, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The deal will make him the highest-paid coach in NBA history.

The news comes as little surprise after Wojnarowski reported on Dec. 10 that the Warriors had discussed an extension for Kerr, who was initially under contract through the 2023-24 campaign.

However, there was at least some speculation about Kerr's future in Golden State after president and general manager Bob Myers stepped down from his position on May 30.

Given that uncertainty, Friday's news had fans celebrating Kerr's extension.

Kerr was hired by the Warriors ahead of the 2014-15 season, and he is credited with bringing the organization back to prominence alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

Before Kerr was hired, the Warriors had only made the playoffs three times since 1994, never going further than the Western Conference semifinals.

The 58-year-old led the Dubs to an NBA title in 2015, his first season as head coach, and has turned the team into a perennial playoff contender.

Kerr is 501-264 as head coach of the Warriors and 99-41 in the playoffs. He has led Golden State to the NBA Finals in six of his nine seasons, and the team has won four titles since 2015.

The only years Kerr and the Warriors missed the postseason came in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. That was largely because of injuries to Curry and Thompson. With the "Splash Brothers" fully healthy in 2021-22, the Warriors won their seventh NBA title.

With Kerr locked up through 2026, he'll be tasked with leading the next generation beyond Curry, Thompson and Green. That shouldn't be too difficult with a young, talented group that includes Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, among others.