The Golden State Warriors are reportedly “contemplating a coaching staff addition” this offseason regardless of whether Kenny Atkinson departs Steve Kerr’s staff to take the Cleveland Cavaliers’ vacant head-coaching job, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
And former Los Angeles Lakers’ head honcho Darvin Ham was reportedly considered.
According to Slater, the Dubs “had some conversation” with Ham recently, though he added such a hiring “isn’t expected to materialize. But it is a signal of the Warriors’ desire to add a big-name assistant, and indications are they are in search of either a former head coach or former player to fill the role. If Atkinson leaves, they may add two assistant coaches.”
Ham, 50, went 90-74 in his two seasons as the Lakers’ head coach, leading the team to the Play-In Tournament in both campaigns. The team qualified for the playoffs as well, reaching the Western Conference Finals in his first season but only the first round in 2023-24.
The team was eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in both series.
Kerr, meanwhile, has seen a lot of turnover on his staff in recent years. Alongside the possibility of losing lead assistant Atkinson this summer, Mike Brown left in 2022 to become the head coach of the Sacramento Kings and Jama Mahlalela left in 2023 to join the Toronto Raptors’ staff.
The Warriors may be facing an offseason of change on the roster as well. Longtime franchise staple Klay Thompson is set to hit free agency, Chris Paul’s $30 million salary is non-guaranteed and he’s likely to be cut and the team probably needs to reconsider completely shaping the roster around Stephen Curry after going just 46-36 this season and losing their lone game during the Play-In Tournament, keeping them from the postseason.
It’s very possible that the championship window for the trio of Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green has closed altogether, outside of some adept roster restructuring. More than likely, the Dubs will have a much different look in the 2024-25 campaign.
