Steve Kerr’s Great “What‑If”: Imagining the Parallel Universe Where the Knicks Got Their Man

Steve Kerr says it with a wry laugh now, but there is a trace of genuine relief in his voice: “If I’d gone to New York, I probably would have been fired within two years—and I’d be doing television again today.” That single sentence, delivered during a recent podcast appearance, encapsulates one of the most tantalizing sliding‑door moments in modern NBA history. In the spring of 2014 the rookie coach‑in‑waiting held offers from two very different franchises: Phil Jackson’s Knicks, who were desperate to escape the shadow of another lost season, and Joe Lacob’s Golden State Warriors, a talented but still‑untested club fresh off a first‑round playoff exit. Kerr chose the Bay. Eleven years, four championships, and a revolution in pace‑and‑space basketball later, the decision looks prophetic—but the alternate timeline remains irresistible fodder for fans.

Back then, the Knicks’ pitch seemed logical—at least on paper. Jackson, Kerr’s coaching mentor from their Chicago Bulls days, had just signed a five‑year, $60 million deal to run basketball operations at Madison Square Garden. He wanted a disciple who spoke triangle offense fluently, and Kerr was his favored choice. New York still boasted Carmelo Anthony as a marquee scorer and was prepared to offer the rookie coach roughly the same salary Golden State had on the table. Yet two factors gnawed at Kerr: the franchise’s chronic instability under owner James Dolan and the lingering uncertainty over roster flexibility in a cap‑tight big market.

Privately, Kerr also worried about the Knicks’ 17‑65 finish that season—a record so bleak it suggested more teardown than tune‑up. Jackson’s promise of autonomy sounded good, friends say, but the garden‑variety turbulence of New York media and Dolan’s well‑documented impatience posed real risks. “He could see the writing on the wall,” recalls a front‑office source familiar with those talks. “A two‑year leash was generous.”

History shows how divergent the paths became. In the Bay Area, Kerr unlocked Stephen Curry’s off‑ball movement, empowered Draymond Green at point‑forward, and preserved Klay Thompson when management flirted with trading him for Kevin Love. The Warriors’ 67‑win debut under Kerr in 2014‑15 set a new NBA record for a first‑year coach and launched a dynasty that would capture titles in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022. The franchise valuation soared from roughly $750 million to more than $8 billion, Chase Center rose on San Francisco’s waterfront, and Kerr cemented his Hall‑of‑Fame résumé.

Meanwhile, New York turned to Derek Fisher—another first‑time coach—but the honeymoon lasted just 136 games. Fisher’s triangle never took root, and a 40‑96 record got him dismissed in Year 2, exactly the fate Kerr predicted for himself. The Knicks cycled through Jeff Hornacek, David Fizdale, and Mike Miller before Tom Thibodeau finally stabilized the bench in 2020. It took seven more seasons for the franchise to win a playoff series, a drought that might have torpedoed Kerr’s budding reputation had he been at the helm.

The “I’d be on TV” line is hardly throwaway bravado. Before coaching, Kerr spent eight years as TNT’s lead color analyst, earning rave reviews for his conversational style and candor. He enjoyed the work; the schedule let him see his kids, then in grade school. When he muses about returning to broadcast, insiders believe him. “Steve loved the camera, and the camera loved Steve,” says a former Turner Sports executive. “If Golden State hadn’t called, he’d still be on Thursday nights next to Marv Albert.” That parallel universe might feature Kerr breaking down Knicks misfires rather than orchestrating Warriors brilliance.

For Knicks die‑hards, the missed connection stings more each time the Warriors raise another banner. Could Kerr’s motion‑heavy offense have unlocked a different dimension for Anthony? Would New York still have drafted Kristaps Porziņģis in 2015, or might a patient rebuild have begun earlier? Critics argue that Dolan’s meddling would have undone any strategic gains. Supporters counter that Kerr’s credibility as a five‑time champion player could have bought him goodwill Fisher never enjoyed. The truth, of course, will remain theoretical—yet it fuels bar‑debate nostalgia in Manhattan watering holes to this day.

Kerr’s candid reflection offers a broader lesson for aspiring coaches: context can trump brand name. Coaching success often depends less on market size and more on structural harmony between ownership, front office, and roster. Golden State provided a patient environment, a forward‑thinking analytics team, and players both talented and malleable. The Knicks of 2014 offered history and glitz but little functional alignment. By trusting his instincts, Kerr avoided becoming another casualty of the Garden’s revolving door and instead authored a modern coaching masterclass.

As Kerr enters the final season of his current extension with Golden State, whispers persist about a return to television or even a sabbatical similar to Phil Jackson’s post‑Bulls hiatus. Yet he insists he’s “nowhere near done” with coaching. The Warriors’ aging core is giving way to Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga, and Kerr relishes the challenge of a soft reboot. Should he decide to step away, TV networks will line up with blank checks. The irony? The decision will be entirely on his terms, not the premature pink slip he once feared in New York.

Eleven years removed, Kerr’s self‑deprecating quip doubles as a victory lap. He dodged the quicksand of Knicks dysfunction, elevated a talented roster into a juggernaut, and reshaped NBA strategy from the three‑point line out. In doing so, he also preserved his love of coaching—something a disastrous New York stint might have extinguished. The thought experiment is fun, but the real‑world outcome is clear: Steve Kerr’s greatest coaching move was never drawing up a play; it was choosing the right stage on which to run it. Knicks fans may wonder what if, but Kerr and the Warriors stand as living proof of what is.