Warriors assistants Terry Stotts, Jerry Stackhouse depart after contracts expire

Golden State Warriors’ top assistants Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse are leaving the franchise after their contracts expired, league sources said Thursday. The moves arrive even as head coach Steve Kerr agreed last week to return on a new two-year deal. Stotts and Stackhouse held front-bench roles for the past two seasons and informed the organization they would pursue head-coaching opportunities. Their departures set in motion a search to retool the bench around Kerr.

Stotts served as Kerr’s lead assistant and offensive coordinator for two years and told the head coach late in the regular season that he did not intend to come back, according to people familiar with the talks. The split is described as amicable, and Stotts is open to NBA head-coaching jobs. His résumé spans nearly three decades in the league, including nine seasons leading the Portland Trail Blazers.

Stackhouse was hired in July 2024 and worked as Golden State’s defensive coordinator over two campaigns. Before joining the Warriors, he spent five seasons as Vanderbilt’s head coach. He is departing to actively pursue head-coaching positions elsewhere, league sources said.

Warriors staff turnover and search

Open roles and internal continuity

The exits extend a season of staff turnover for Golden State. Front-of-the-bench assistant Chris DeMarco left in January to take the New York Liberty head-coaching job, which elevated longtime assistant Kris Weems. Weems is expected to remain as the Warriors reorganize the lead roles.

Candidates and offseason context

Golden State has begun identifying replacements, and former New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green is among the early candidates, league sources said. Green started his NBA coaching career with the Warriors in 2016 and spent three seasons on Kerr’s staff, and the two remain close.

The staff reset parallels broader changes anticipated after a 37-win season in which the Warriors failed to advance out of the play-in bracket. During postseason conversations with Kerr, management signaled the need for adjustments. Kerr’s agreement keeps him as the NBA’s highest-paid head coach as the franchise considers how to recalibrate around Steph Curry.

The Warriors are expected to move quickly in the coming weeks to fill the assistant roles and finalize responsibilities before free agency and summer league. How Kerr rounds out the bench could influence both scheme and roster decisions heading into next season.