The NBA coaching carousel is quietly heating up, and Billy Donovan’s name is right in the middle of it. Jamahl Mosley’s grip on the Orlando Magic suddenly looks shaky after a turbulent season. Meanwhile, Steve Kerr’s future in the Golden State Warriors remains unclear, with no deal beyond this year. That leaves two very different doors possibly opening. For Donovan, it is not just about returning to the sidelines, but choosing between a rising young core and a veteran team chasing one last title run.

Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix and Rachel Nichols discussed the ex-Bulls coach’s path ahead. To be fair, Orlando offers stability if Jamahl Mosley delivers a surprise playoff run, making it a safer, developing situation. The Warriors, on the other hand, present a high-stakes opportunity with a proven core. One is about growth and patience, the other about chasing immediate success at the highest level.

“Orlando has the higher percentage of winning in the short term just because, as a coach, we talked about this, there’s a lot of low-hanging fruit to clean up on that team,” Rachel Nichols said. “I think that just with some better coaching decisions, that team could do better than it did this year. So you’re going to look good next year. But long term, I’m not sure if that’s the case.”

Moreover, after coaching at both college and NBA levels, Donovan would likely embrace the rare chance to work with a generational talent like Stephen Curry. It would be an opportunity many coaches naturally find exciting and fulfilling.

Then Nichols added, “By the way, Steve Kerr, as we sit here today, has not given up that job yet, which I know we’re about to talk about. But if that job is open, I don’t know if I’m a coach. I want to go coach Michael Jordan or LeBron James or Steph Curry, or any of these top five all-time, top 10 all-time guys. Why wouldn’t you want to spend time doing that?”

To be fair, Orlando stands out as a long-term project with real upside. But the Golden State Warriors offers the opposite kind of appeal. Moreover, the Dubs draft cupboard feels oddly balanced between control and chaos. And this could entice Donovan even more.

They hold first-round picks every year from 2026 through 2032, with full ownership in 2027, 2028, 2029, 2031, and 2032. However, 2030 carries tension, protected from 1-20, with Dallas waiting if it slips. Meanwhile, 2026 sits in the lottery mix with slim top-three odds but a heavy 78% chance at No. 11. Second-rounders tell a different story. Many are already promised away, including 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2031, though a 2026 Lakers pick sneaks in.

Now here’s where it gets fascinating for Billy Donovan. The Orlando Magic offers youth in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, yet Golden State hands him a chessboard. Picks to trade. Contracts to flip. Veterans like Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford are ready now. So he gets both timelines. Immediate contention, plus flexible assets to reshape the roster on the fly. That kind of control can tempt any coach who wants influence, not just responsibility.

Coming to the Warriors and Steve Kerr situation. Until recently, reports suggested that Steve Kerr is seemingly uninterested in extending his story with the Warriors. After a shattering 37-45 record in the 2025-26 season, it looks like the 60-year-old might be calling it quits. However, reports also suggested that he asked for about a week or two to decide on his future.

At the same time, in his latest conversation with The New Yorker, Coach Kerr made an honest confession not just about the situation but also about his star boys, Steph Curry and Draymond Green. Who knows, maybe this trio does have a year or two left together?

Steve Kerr’s confession

After twelve seasons, four titles, and six trips to the Finals, Steve Kerr finds himself staring at the toughest call of his coaching career. This time, it is not about strategy, deals, or media roles. It comes down to where his loyalty truly lies. Now, in an interview with The New Yorker, Kerr faced a direct question about his return. He answered with rare honesty. It marked his most candid response since the Warriors’ play-in loss to the Phoenix Suns.

“This is a really interesting situation,” the 60-year-old confessed. “I’m very respectful of the organization and their place in the universe right now. And I know how this stuff works. Most coaching runs just last a certain amount of time, and then it’s best for everybody to move forward. And what we have to figure out is whether now is that time, because what complicates it is we still have Steph and Draymond. I don’t want to abandon those guys.”

This reveals how strongly Steve Kerr ties his future to Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. If they were leaving, he would likely step away too. However, since Curry plans to keep playing and the team still sees potential, Kerr feels torn. Meanwhile, the front office continues to believe he will stay, adding another layer of expectation.

So now, while the coaching picture begins to complicate in the NBA, Billy Donovan has a path to choose amidst Steve Kerr’s uncertainty. Sure, the Orlando Magic are a young roster that could offer a long-term plan. However, the Warriors come fully loaded with veterans and future Hall of Famers like Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler, who are still hungry for a title. And maybe that’s why the Dubs have an upper hand… who knows?