When Warriors star Jimmy Butler tore his ACL earlier this week, it came at an unfortunate time for Golden State.
The Warriors were surging heading into the game against the Raptors, winners of four straight and seven out of 10. General manager Mike Dunleavy announced that Butler had torn his ACL in the home win over the Heat the night before. Vibes were bad from the start for Golden State against Toronto in their first game without Butler, trailing by as many as 30 in a contest they lost 145-127 at home.
Butler is done for the season. Former first-round pick Jonathan Kuminga has demanded a trade away from the franchise, and Steph Curry and Draymond Green are in the twilight of their respective careers.
Despite being 25-20 on the season, the outlook appears bleak for the Warriors for the rest of the season and potentially beyond. Could this be the time that Steve Kerr decides to walk away? It's on the table, according to a report from Logan Murdock of The Ringer.
This is the final year of Kerr’s contract, and as of Wednesday, he has yet to sign a new deal. Though Kerr has publicly been mum about his future, multiple assistant coaches have been operating under the premise that he will not return next season, according to team sources, with some surveying the league to secure jobs next season. Last month, longtime assistant Chris DeMarco left the staff to be the head coach of the WNBA’s New York Liberty.Logan Murdock, The Ringer
While it's likely that both Curry and Green play beyond this season, there seem to be plenty of questions about whether Kerr will ride it out with his two longtime stars until they hang it up themselves. That has long been viewed as the timeline that made the most sense for all parties involved, but perhaps Kerr and the Warriors feel differently.
In 11-plus seasons with the Warriors, Kerr has compiled a 592-328 record with four NBA titles.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Report: 'Multiple' Warriors Assistants Don't Expect Steve Kerr to Return Next Season.
