Steve Kerr Reportedly Could Return During 2017 NBA Finals

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr may return at some point during the 2017 NBA Finals, despite missing all but two games of the team's run due to illness caused by recurring back issues.

ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne reported Kerr is "looking better" than he has since leaving the team after Game 2 of its first-round series against the Portland Trail Blazers. 

There is no indication of when Kerr would return. The team has still not ruled him out for Thursday's Game 1 matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Mike Brown, who has coached the Warriors' last 10 games, will lead the team if Kerr is unable to go. Kerr has been taking a more active role in the lead-up to the Finals and has not missed a meeting since the beginning of the Western Conference Finals. 

“Even when we’re not together, we’re on the phone at least twice a day,” Brown said. “When he’s here during games, he’s in the locker room with us before the game talking strategy, talking strategy when we meet at halftime as coaches. And then he’ll address the team at halftime, even at the end of games.

"We just kind of play off each other. Sometimes I may address the team first, then he’ll go. Sometimes he may address the team, then I’ll go. Sometimes I won’t even say anything, and he’ll just talk.”

The Warriors have been at full strength for all of four games since the beginning of March. Kevin Durant missed all of March and the early portion of April with a knee injury, and the All-Star missed Games 2 and 3 of Golden State's first-round series against Portland. Kerr has been out since the game before Durant's return.

Despite all of the upheaval, the Warriors are 12-0 in the playoffs heading into Thursday night and have lost just one of their last 28 games. If Kerr makes his way back to the bench, Golden State's advantage might prove insurmountable.