It has been no secret Steve Kerr has emerged as the leading candidate for several coaching vacancies around the league. The question many people have asked is why? It’s a legitimate query when you consider Kerr has no head coaching experience at any level, with his post-career NBA resume limited to a brief run as general manager of the Phoenix Suns.
Howard Beck at Bleacher Report attempted to answer that question, coming to the conclusion that experience is no longer a requirement when it comes to breaking into the head coaching fraternity:
“There are a lot of factors in play here—including a universal high regard for Kerr in NBA circles—but the most significant might be this: Experience is no longer considered an absolute prerequisite.
The emerging new view: Find a strong leader with high basketball intelligence and great communication skills, and they will find a way. That model also applies to the Celtics’ bold decision last year to hire Butler’s Brad Stevens, who did have head coaching experience, but none at the NBA level.”
Phil Jackson has spoken openly about his desire to hire Kerr as the Knicks head coach, while it is believed Kerr prefers Golden State, the Warriors ownership have made it clear to him the job is his.
Kerr is expected to make his decision this week, and there are certainly a few pros and cons to consider for each gig. If he chooses New York, he may be committing himself to a team that has very little financial flexibility in the foreseeable future. There’s also the question of whether they will be able to retain Carmelo Anthony this off-season. If Anthony chooses to go elsewhere, Kerr would find himself in a similar situation as Byron Scott did in Cleveland, when he took the job and then saw LeBron James go to Cleveland just weeks later.
In Golden State, Kerr would inherit a team that won 51 games in the Western Conference, featuring a roster that — when healthy — is capable of taking the next step in competing for a championship. Kerr would also be closer to home, but given how strongly the Warriors players, especially Steph Curry, felt about Mark Jackson, it may be harder for a rookie coach to come in and have the team buy in to his system when they’ve already achieved a certain level of success.
These are just a few things Kerr will have to consider. It appears he will have the job of his choosing, which is never a bad thing, but it also leaves room for him to wonder what if and experience a few regrets down the line if things don’t work out as he might envision.
Should Kerr go with the Warriors or Knicks?
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