‘I’m not worried’: Steve Kerr talks Kuminga contract situation, his own Warriors future

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Warriors head coach Steve Kerr didn’t meet with reporters, as customary, on Monday’s Media Day, but he spent 25 minutes chatting with reporters after the team’s first training camp practice.

On the ninth floor of Chase Center overlooking the bay, Kerr discussed two contract situations looming over the franchise: Jonathan Kuminga’s and his own.

Although the head coach mostly declined to comment on Kuminga, he did say that he’s had discussions with general manager Mike Dunleavy recently.

Dunleavy “feels pretty good that we should get this resolved in the next couple of days,” Kerr said. “That’s the hope, we’ll see where it goes.”

Kuminga, absent yet omnipresent at Media Day, has until Wednesday at 9 p.m. to accept the qualifying offer. Kuminga’s side and the Warriors could agree to mutually push back the qualifying offer deadline, or the Warriors could decide to pull the offer.

He also has standing multi-year proposals from the team, most of which include team options, a sticking point in negotiations.

The 22-year-old’s contract stalemate has held up business for pending free-agent signings Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton, who missed the first day of training camp as they wait for clarity.

Kuminga’s fit with the Warriors has been tricky at times, and became especially so after the club acquired Jimmy Butler last season. Kerr has repeatedly acknowledged the awkwardness, which agent Aaron Turner has brought up during negotiations.

Asked how he felt about his public comments being used as a bargaining chip, Kerr was diplomatic.

“This is the business we’re in,” he said. “I never begrudge any player for trying to get the best contract he can. In fact, having been a player, I always feel like it’s part of my job to help our guys do the best they can contract-wise and help them become the best players they can be. Put themselves in the best position to have a great career, to sign a good contract, take care of their families. These are short careers. So I want all our players to do well. How it gets there can sometimes be messy — I’m not worried about any of that.”

Kerr dodged questions about his communications with Kuminga and whether or not he thinks the wing wants to be a Warrior.

But generally, the head coach struck a nonplussed tone on the subject.

“We’ve been through a lot bigger deals than this,” Kerr said. “I don’t think this is that big of a deal. This is business. Contract disputes happen all the time in sports. Again, I’m not concerned, we expect this to get resolved soon.”

Kerr also broached another item of business: his own. The head coach’s two-year, $35 million contract expires after the 2025-26 season. But he’s “comfortable” entering his 11th season in a lame-duck year.

“I’m so aligned with Mike and Joe (Lacob),” Kerr, 60, said. “We talked about this — there’s no reason for discussion, concern. This is kind of a point in our relationship where it’s just like, ‘Let’s see just see how it is at the end of the year.’ I love my job, I love what I’m doing every day, can’t wait to get to the building. Hopefully I’m here for another few years, but it makes sense for the organization and for me to see where this thing is at the end of the year. Where they are, where I am. Hopefully, that means we run it back and we keep going with this group. That’d be awesome. But I like the fact that we can kind of do it how we want to do it.”

When Kerr took the coaching job ahead of the 2014-15 season, the Warriors hadn’t won a title since 1975. Golden State won the championship in his first year at the helm as he revamped the team’s offense and instilled a new culture. Then they hoisted three more Larry O’Brien trophies in 2017, 2018, and 2022.

Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler’s contracts each run through 2026-27 (Green has a player option). Curry, in particular, has been vocal about only wanting to play for Kerr for the rest of his career.

Kerr said he doesn’t anticipate negotiating a contract extension during the season, though that could change.

“I’m not the slightest bit concerned about it, I don’t think about it,” Kerr said. “I just think it makes perfect sense for all of us. I’ve said this before, but however this ends, it’s going to be done in a really quality way. It’s going to happen the right way. If it’s meant to be for me to keep going, I’m going to keep going. And if it’s meant to be for the team to move onto somebody else, there will be nothing but gratitude and appreciation. This makes it easy for everybody.”