The Golden State Warriors have enjoyed remarkable success since Steve Kerr took over as head coach in 2014. According to Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, that partnership almost never happened at all.
A Contract Dispute Nearly Sent Kerr to New York
GettyHead coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors.
Speaking on “The Draymond Green Show,” Carlisle revealed he spoke directly with Kerr during his coaching search, before Kerr had committed to either the New York Knicks or Golden State. According to Carlisle, Kerr’s negotiations with the Knicks had stalled over a single issue.
“They don’t want to do the fourth year,” Carlisle recalled Kerr telling him.
Carlisle pushed back on that hesitation directly, questioning why financial terms were holding up a deal given the Knicks’ resources through Madison Square Garden’s ownership group.
“That is a conference finals team, like right now,” Carlisle told Kerr, referring to Golden State’s roster at the time.
Kerr Took the Warriors’ Job Days Later
According to Carlisle, that conversation appeared to shift Kerr’s thinking. Two days later, Kerr accepted the Warriors’ head coaching position instead of continuing negotiations with New York.
The move turned into one of the more consequential coaching decisions in modern NBA history. Golden State won three championships in Kerr’s first four seasons and reached the Finals in each of his first five years, establishing a dynasty that reshaped the league. Kerr has since added a fourth title in 2022, giving the Warriors four championships together.
What Happened in New York Instead
GettyDerek Fisher, coaching the Knicks.
The Knicks’ path looked considerably different for years. After hiring Derek Fisher during that same coaching cycle, New York cycled through three head coaches between 2014 and 2019 before finally finding stability under Tom Thibodeau. It wasn’t until this year, under Mike Brown, that the Knicks finally broke through, beating the San Antonio Spurs to win the 2026 NBA championship and end a 53-year title drought.
Whether Kerr would have provided the steady leadership New York was searching for back in 2014 remains unknowable. What’s clear is that Golden State ended up with him instead, and the results speak for themselves, even if New York eventually found its own path to a title over a decade later.
Final Word for the Warriors
Steve Kerr’s entire coaching legacy in Golden State reportedly traces back to a stalled contract negotiation and one blunt conversation with a fellow coach. Had the Knicks simply agreed to a fourth year, the Warriors’ dynasty might have looked entirely different, or never happened at all.
New York’s loss became Golden State’s decade.
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