Warriors head coach Steve Kerr gave his first interview of the summer and had a bittersweet update on his status for next season. The bitter is that Kerr is still feeling the effects from back surgery two years ago, complications of which kept him out for portions of the last two seasons. Despite that, Kerr says he fully expects to be available for every game next season.
“It’s all right, it’s all right,” Kerr told Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle. “I’d love to say that I’m all better, but not the case. I’m feeling better, having a good summer, relaxing. But it’s just been an ongoing thing now for two years.
“I fully expect to coach all year. That’s my expectation. And for many years to come.”
Kerr missed 11 postseason games last season as his health slowly deteriorated throughout the season. Assistant coach Mike Brown went 11-0 as the interim head coach in Kerr’s absence. A year prior, Kerr missed the first 43 games of the season. Once again the Warriors didn’t miss a beat, starting of 39-4 under then-assistant Luke Walton. In both cases, Kerr was present during practice and in constant contact with the coaching staff.
A spinal fluid leak due to a nicked spinal chord during one of his two back surgeries is to blame to Kerr’s health issues, which typically manifest themselves in intense migraine headaches that can make just sitting on the bench a struggle.
Kerr, 51, has spent most of this offseason relaxing at his home in Del Mar, CA, but told the Chronicle that he has been doing planning on the upcoming season everyday.
“I’m on the phone, talking to (general manager) Bob Myers, talking to our coaches and to different people. Writing down thoughts, putting together plans for our coaching retreat (before training camp).”
Kerr’s contract, worth somewhere around $22 and $25 million, runs through May of 2019.
