New Steve Kerr Rumors About ESPN's Pursuit Before Warriors HC Agreed to Contract
Before Steve Kerr decided to return as head coach of the Golden State Warriors on a new two-year contract on Saturday, he reportedly received a lucrative offer to return to broadcasting.
Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard explained that Kerr "can walk into a top analyst's job anytime he wants," and he reported that ESPN made a hard push to land him before he chose to continue his coaching career.
"ESPN was especially aggressive about the chase, probably offering up to $7 million per, and I heard was willing to meet almost any possible condition of his, including staying away from all hot-take panel shows," Kawakami stated.
Before taking over as head coach of the Warriors in 2014, Kerr had served as a broadcaster and commentator for TNT. Many expect him to pick up the microphone once again as soon as he's done coaching.
However, league sources told ESPN's Shams Charania, Anthony Slater and Ramona Shelburne that the Warriors gave Kerr a new two-year deal that will keep him as the NBA's highest-paid coach. He made $17.5 million during the 2025-26 campaign.
The Warriors are hoping to return to title contention before Kerr calls it a career, so they will likely be aggressive this offseason as they try to build a championship roster.
