Kerr umaasang makakasama pa rin ang Warriors sa kabila ng mapapaso na ang kaniyang kontrata
Klay Thompson (left) and head coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors (AFP)
Tiwala si Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr na mananatili pa rin siya sa koponan, kahit na hindi pa siya lumalagda ng extension sa kontrata niyang malapit nang magpaso.
Si Kerr, na nagdala sa Warriors sa apat na NBA championships simula nang maging coach siya rito noong 2014, ay papasok na sa huling taon ng kaniyang kontrata kapag nag-tip off na ang 2023/2024 season sa katapusan ng Oktubre.
Gayunman, sinabi ng 57-anyos na tiwala siyang magkakaroon ng panibagong kontrata sa hinaharap, at kumpiyansang magkakaroon sila ng kasunduan ng may-ari na si Joe Lacob at bagong general manager na si Mike Dunleavy, Jr.
Ayon kay Kerr, “I feel great about my position here. I want to be here. I know Mike and Joe want me here, and so I’m very confident something will get done. I’m not stressed about it at all.”
Sinabi pa niya na walang kuwestiyon ng kawalang katiyakan tungkol sa kaniyang long-term contract status, na makagagambala sa kaniya sa panahon ng season.
Aniya, “You know, I’m perfectly capable of coaching whether I have one year left or an extension. Makes no difference. But I fully expect to be here.”
Samantala, sinabi ni Dunleavy na komportable ang Warriors na maglaan ng oras bago itali sina Kerr at star player na si Klay Thompson sa mga bagong kasunduan. Papasok na rin kasi si Thompson sa huling taon ng kanyang kasalukuyang kontrata.
Ayon kay Dunleavy, “There’s no real timeline in the immediate future that we have to abide by, so we’ll continue to have conversations. But the main goal is secure those guys moving forward, and I think they feel a little bit of the same. But we are optimistic, and I think we are in a good place there.”
Pinalakas pa ng Warriors ang kanilang koponan para sa paparating na season, sa pamamagitan ng pagdaragdag sa beteranong 12-time All-Star na si Chris Paul, na pumirma na ng kontrata sa Warriors. Si Paul ay galing sa Phoenix.
Sinabi ni Kerr na ang 38 taong gulang ay nakagawa na ng impresyon sa off-season.
Aniya, “I really like Chris because he likes phone calls and not texts. Chris is old school. He wants to talk.We’ve had four or five great conversations this summer. Obviously we have had a lot of battles over the years.
Dagdag pa ni Kerr, “So I’m thrilled to coach him. He’s one of the greatest competitors I’ve ever seen; his command of the game, the way he controls the action. He understands what wins. So I’m really excited to coach Chris and I know he’s really excited to be here.”
