Steve Kerr’s time with the Golden State Warriors isn’t up just yet.
The longtime Warriors head coach has agreed in principle to a two-year contract to remain with the team through the 2027-28 season, league sources confirmed to The Athletic.
Per a league source, Kerr will remain the highest-paid coach in the NBA. While his new salary is not known, he was previously making $17.5 million annually. Miami’s Erik Spoelstra has a deal that will eventually pay him $15 million annually and is known to have the second-most lucrative contract in the NBA.
The agreement, reached Saturday, continues the most successful coaching tenure in franchise history. The 2026-27 season will be Kerr’s 13th year coaching the Warriors, and his desire to return comes after several weeks of speculation about his future following a season-ending loss to the Phoenix Suns on April 17 in the final Play-In Tournament game.
Kerr, 60, decided not to sign a contract extension before the season and was content letting the year play out without a new deal. The feeling over the last few months was that Kerr would decide to return, but that outlook shifted quickly at the end of the Warriors’ season-ending loss to the Suns.
In the final moments of that defeat, Kerr hugged Warriors star Stephen Curry and longtime forward Draymond Green while delivering a meaningful message that was picked up by the broadcast.
“I don’t know what’s gonna happen next, but I love you guys to death,” Kerr said. “Thank you.”
Kerr fueled more speculation about his future when he told reporters that he planned on sitting down with owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy to discuss the uncertain road ahead.
“I still love coaching, but I get it,” Kerr said. “These jobs all have an expiration date. There’s a run that happens, and when the run ends, sometimes it’s time for new blood and new ideas and all that.”
“I don’t know what’s gonna happen next, but I love you guys.” 🥹 https://t.co/GyFAlQRjIx pic.twitter.com/KlInPGTZs1
— NBA (@NBA) April 18, 2026
Momentum started to pick up for Kerr’s return over the last week as the veteran coach continued to talk to Lacob and Dunleavy. Many Warriors staffers had braced themselves for the reality that Kerr would no longer be the coach, but those fears subsided in recent days as the talks continued.
Kerr never seemed to let the speculation bother him — he attended a San Francisco Giants game Wednesday afternoon — as the organization continued to operate as if he would eventually come to terms on a new deal.
In many ways, Kerr’s tenure with the Warriors will be defined by his relationship with Curry, whom Kerr has often described as the most “joyful” player he’s ever been around. The pair shared a common set of values on and off the floor. Kerr was open in saying the relationship between the pair would be a factor in his decision.
The Warriors’ losing — and their injuries — over the last season wore on Kerr, but he remained clear about one thing: He still loved his work.
“I enjoyed it, believe it or not,” Kerr said after the loss to the Suns. “I love coaching, and I love being with all the staff and the players, and I love being in the fight. I love having a quest and the daily ritual of trying to figure something out. It’s really beautiful. It’s really fun to be part of that. So despite the injuries, despite the adversity, despite the struggles, I still enjoyed it. I enjoyed every day, but things didn’t go our way, obviously, and that’s part of it too.”
Kerr’s decision to come back for a 13th season stabilizes an organization that faces significant questions heading into an uncertain offseason. Former All-Star Jimmy Butler is expected to miss a big chunk of next season as he continues to recover from a torn ACL suffered in mid-January. Swingman Moses Moody will also miss significant time recovering from a patellar rupture suffered in late March.
The health of Curry, 38, will remain a lingering question, especially after he missed more than two months this past season due to a runner’s knee injury. Green’s future remains in question as he decides whether to pick up a player option worth more than $27 million and the Warriors ponder whether to use that salary slot on another star to pair with Curry.
Regardless, the Warriors will have Kerr’s steady leadership and calm demeanor for at least two more seasons. Kerr, who won five titles as a player but had never coached before replacing Mark Jackson in 2014, has led the Warriors to four championships and six NBA Finals appearances. He boasts a 604-353 coaching record and became the fourth-fastest coach in NBA history to reach 600 wins earlier last season. Among coaches with at least 500 games, his .631 winning percentage is the sixth-best.
This story will be updated.