NBA rumors: Warriors grooming Steve Kerr replacement, Trae Young’s Team USA debacle, Siakam trade chatter

In today’s NBA rumors, the Warriors might be preparing for Steve Kerr’s departure, Trae Young has burned his Team USA bridges and Pascal Siakam will be traded.

We’re in the depths of the offseason but deep-cut coaching changes, the FIBA World Cup and Team USA shenanigans, along with some longshot trade chatter give us plenty of NBA rumors to keep playing with. Here’s the latest for today:

NBA rumors: Have the Golden State Warriors already found their Steve Kerr replacement?

After a season full of rumors about trades and free-agent scenarios, the Warriors ended up inking Draymond Green to an extension, locking in their long-time core for at least another season. Klay Thompson will be a free agent next season but is extension eligible and seems likely to re-up at least through the 2025-26 season, the final year on Steph Curry’s current deal.

The other key piece of the Warriors’ core is Steve Kerr, whose current contract reportedly ends after this season. Kerr’s coaching staff has been defined by continuity — assistants Ron Adams, Bruce Fraser and Chris DeMarco have all be there for at least eight seasons. Kenny Atkinson, former Nets head coach and always a favorite hypothetical candidate for new openings, has been there for three years.

The organization loves internal candidates — replacing general manager Bob Myers with longtime player and executive Mike Dunleavy for example. And so it’s at least interesting to see that Kerr’s son, Nick, is moving from the video room to the head coach of the team’s G League franchise, the Santa Cruz Warriors.

If Steve Kerr does step away from the Warriors at the end of next season, Atkinson would the most obvious candidate to replace him. But grooming his son for an NBA coaching role somewhere down the line certainly fits their template.