As the Warriors continue to move forward in their offseason after the devastating loss of Klay Thompson, the roster isn’t the only thing being adjusted. The coaching staff is being changed as well, with former head coaches being brought in as assistants next to Steve Kerr. Even if the team isn’t the most talented, Golden State is trying to make sure that they can out-coach almost any team in the league. Their two most recent acquisitions? Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse.
The Golden State Warriors are planning to hire Terry Stotts as lead assistant coach and Jerry Stackhouse as an assistant, sources tell ESPN. Both come to Steve Kerr’s staff with significant head coaching experience. pic.twitter.com/fQf1mR0A7y
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 3, 2024
Decorated Head Coaches Join Steve Kerr’s Staff
Terry Stotts
Stotts has an incredible amount of coaching experience. He began as an assistant in the 1990s and earned brief head coaching opportunities with the Hawks and Bucks. However, what he became most known for was his tenure with the Blazers. Stotts coached the team from 2012-2021, a surprisingly long tenure for an NBA head coach. His record with the team all-time was 402-318, as he frequently guided the team to the playoffs only to fall short. After the Blazers, Stotts had a very short stint with the Bucks as an assistant before resigning after an argument with the head coach. Now, he’s ready to coach again, and given that he has so much experience as an assistant, it shouldn’t be too difficult a transition for him.
Stotts is also a sought-after commodity, as shown by this report:
REPORT: The Lakers have tried to hire Terry Stotts three times, per @AnthonyIrwinLA.
Stotts turned LA down all three times. (h/t @Klutch_23) pic.twitter.com/OSVSSSOzwf
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 3, 2024
Jerry Stackhouse
Stackhouse has a higher profile in the NBA world than Stotts does. A star in high school, Stackhouse played for UNC-Chapel Hill before declaring for the NBA Draft and playing 18 seasons in the league. After his playing career ended, Stackhouse got into coaching, beginning with the Toronto Raptors. He served as an assistant for the Raptors and their G-League team (Raptors 905) up until 2018, where he then spent a year as an assistant for the Memphis Grizzlies. After that year, he was hired as the head coach of Vanderbilt University. Stackhouse coached the team from 2019 until 2024 when he was fired after a disappointing 9-23 record.
Now, Stackhouse has a chance to continue his coaching career in the NBA. Steve Kerr is bringing the most experienced, available coaches out there to join his staff, a sign that the Warriors are still trying to contend despite losing Thompson. They also signed De’Anthony Melton, and Kyle Anderson, and are in advanced talks to acquire Buddy Hield. The Warriors have also expressed interest in Lauri Markkanen. The Warriors won’t be a team that quietly fades into the sunset after their glory days. On the contrary, they’re trying to make sure that they stay relevant for years to come.
