Although Jonathan Kuminga’s trade from the Golden State Warriors was far from surprising, the way it was handled appeared all the more shocking. Anthony Slater of ESPN recently shed light on a major locker room fight involving head coach Steve Kerr and the now Atlanta Hawks star. While that conversation ended in Kerr slamming his whiteboard in frustration, a Bay Area legend now thinks it’s time for Kerr to find a new job.

“I do wonder, this whole thing with Jonathan Kuminga is a bad look,” veteran play-by-play announcer Greg Papa said. “On all sides, but this is the worst look for the head coach. And maybe time for him to move on. It may be time to just start over. And I never felt that before. This is bad. You do not want to go into an off-season where you’re looking to bring some of the biggest names in basketball here, and they’re reading this about Steve Kerr’s Warriors.”

The rocky relationship between the Dubs coach and his youngster wasn’t new to the fans. However, the way it kept disintegrating week by week turned comical. At one point last month, insider Shams Charania reported that the Kerr-Kuminga relationship was “fractured beyond repair.”

In December, Kerr was asked about Kuminga’s DNP status at Chicago. The veteran coach simply said that “it happens to everybody, pretty much, other than the stars.” Now, the youngster viewed that as a subtle dig. Only a few days ago, Slater revealed that he had made a private comment about the coach.

“See,” Kuminga said. “That’s the s— I’m talking about. Why does he got to say that?”

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However, it appeared that Kerr and Kuminga settled their differences before the unceremonious exit. The veteran coach was quite apologetic during his interview and admitted that there were “definitely” things he could have done “better.”

Well, rumors have been swirling around Kerr’s future for quite some time now, long before the entire Kuminga fiasco. The Warriors’ assistant coaches have been reportedly surveying the league for new opportunities. That’s because Kerr is already in the final year of his two-year $35 million extension he signed back in 2024. Although the veteran has stated that he’d like to end his illustrious coaching career with Stephen Curry, he might not get that chance after all.

Nonetheless, that will be a decision for the front office, especially after a dramatic Kuminga exit. It’s unlikely that they’ll part ways with him midway through the season, despite discontent among the fanbase. In the meantime, however, Kerr has given his honest thoughts about the first half of the season.

Not an easy road ahead for Steve Kerr and his Warriors

The Golden State Warriors entered the All-Star break on a sour note, as they fell short 126-113 against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. This defeat saw them fall to 29-26 for the season. It has been a rough stretch for the franchise, dealing with injuries to Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler while trying to hold onto a playoff spot in a stacked Western Conference. Despite that, Steve Kerr hasn’t completely given up on his team.

“A lot has happened with Jimmy’s injury and the trade,” Kerr told the reporters. “We’ve got a chance to get recharged here over the break and come back. We’ve got plenty to play for.”

No matter how positive Kerr remains, it’s clear the Warriors’ chances of making a deep playoff run are slim. The only thing that can save their season is if both Stephen Curry and Kristaps Porzingis make a swift comeback.

Both players are currently dealing with knee and Achilles injuries, respectively, and are expected to be back after the All-Star Weekend. With them returning, the Dubs may be able to string together a streak of wins. However, despite Kerr not getting along with Kuminga, the youngster had a short yet intense scoring burst in his brief return in January. One cannot help but think he would’ve come in handy, especially after Butler’s injury.

Regardless of what happens this season, Kerr’s exit might not be tied to the results on the court. Curry has a year left on his Warriors contract, but will that be enough to justify retaining the coach, who has remained in win-now mode rather than building for the future?