35 million, re-sign the Warriors! The management s decision is correct, Curry should rely on him if he is missing Golden State

Curry fell down and Cole stood up. In May 2025, the Warriors played in the first round of the playoffs against the Timberwolves, but Curry was sure to rest for three games due to a first-level hamstring strain! It's like a basin of cold water pouring on the heads of Warriors fans, and everyone was worried: Without Curry, can Jinzhou still withstand the Timberwolves' attack? Can? ! ! In the away game of G1, the Warriors won the victory by defending and fighting! What is even more surprising is that the great hero behind it is not Zhu Meng Green or Jimmy Butler, but the head coach who has been scolded for half a year - Steve Cole.

Cole was just renewed by the Warriors management for a sky-high price of 35 million for two years and became the highest annual coach in the NBA. At that time, the Warriors' record was shaking, and the fans complained a lot: "This money is too outrageous, right?" But now looking back, the management's move was really "a first-class chess move." With Curry not here, why did Cole become the "stationary needle" of the Warriors? Let's talk slowly.

Let's talk about the fourth section of G1 first, which is really thrilling! The Warriors led away in Minneapolis, but the Timberwolves suddenly exerted their strength, only 3 points away from chasing, and were about to turn the tables. Cole was calm at this time, called a timeout, and decisively pushed the small Podjemsky to Gobert's pick-and-roll route, forcing Gobert to be in a hurry; at the same time, he asked Zhu Meng Green to double-team Edwards in advance and took the ball out of his hand! This wave of operations directly disrupted the Timberwolves' rhythm. The Warriors shot out a 12-4 offensive in the last 5 minutes, locking the game.

According to NBA official data, the Warriors forced the Timberwolves to make 16 mistakes in this game, and even scored 12-4 in the final quarter. Basketball commentator Wang Meng shouted after the game: "Keor's response on the spot is simply textbook level!" Cole's adjustment is indeed like "turning stones into gold", tying the Timberwolves' offensive chain to the death. But to be honest, whether Cole's move can be done in Turin depends on whether the Timberwolves will crack it. The playoffs are about who is more good at "countering moves".

Let's talk about one more thing, Warriors veteran Kevin Looney, that was so miserable at the beginning of the 2024-25 season! In Golden State's home game against the Pelicans, he only played for 8 minutes and scored 2 points and 3 rebounds. Fans felt that he was going to be squeezed out of the rotation. But Cole didn't think so. He directly spoke at the press conference: "Loney is the cornerstone of our defense, no one can touch him!" This sounded heartwarming, and Cole didn't just say anything but practice. In the regular season against the Thunder, he gave Looney 22 minutes of playing time. Looney immediately handed over 6 points and 10 rebounds, regaining his form.

In the playoffs G1, Looney's rebounding battle became the "secret weapon" of the Warriors. Data shows that he grabbed 8 rebounds in the whole game, including 3 of the frontcourt rebounds, which directly helped the Warriors with several more offensive opportunities. A 2024 study by Sports Psychology shows that coaches’ psychological support for veterans can increase the team’s morale by more than 30%. Cole's operation was like a "big brother" and pulled Looney back from the trough. I have to be fair, there is indeed a risk in Cole's trust in the veteran so much - if Looney's form declines again, the Warriors' inside will be in lingering.

The most admirable thing for Cole is not that he will adjust his playoffs, but his regular season stubbornness of "no matter you scold me, I won't change." In the 2024-25 season, in the Warriors' home game against the Celtics, Kohl actually asked Podjemsky to play the inside player, Zhu Meng Green as the core of the organization, but in the end he lost 104-108, the fans were furious and called him "blind command". But Cole knew that he was "training" in the regular season! Spencer and Santos don’t have much chance to play, but as soon as G1 comes on the playoffs, they dare to fight and grab, helping the Warriors grab 51 rebounds, 10 more than the Timberwolves!

According to ESPN statistics, the Warriors have as many as 12 players in rotation this season, far exceeding the league average. Basketball analyst Yang Yi commented: "Keal's regular season experiment is to make more playoffs." I think Cole's move is like playing chess, making arrangements in advance, losing a few regular season games is nothing, winning the playoffs is the real skill. Cole has to be more at ease with this "trial and error". After all, he lost too much in the regular season and lost his home advantage in the playoffs.

Speaking of Cole's high-paying contract renewal, that's really big news. In February 2024, the Warriors' record was tenth in the Western Conference, and Cole was still criticized, but his boss Joe Lacob made the decision and gave him a two-year contract of 35 million, directly setting an annual salary record for the NBA head coach. According to ESPN, the contract was finalized in Lacob's office. Lacob is interested in Cole's confidence in winning the championship four times in the past ten years, as well as his control over Curry and Green. In the first game after the contract renewal, Cole boldly used new player Spencer, and the team narrowly won 125-122, which was a beautiful answer to the management.

Data analysis of Forbes in 2024 shows that the success rate of high-paying coaches in the NBA is as high as 70%, especially in the playoffs, performance is more stable. I think the Warriors management's operation is really "a skilled and brave". The courage to give Cole a sky-high contract at the trough period, which shows that they believe in his system. 35 million is not for nothing, and Cole's burden is heavier. If he loses a game in the playoffs, public opinion will spray him with the sky.

Finally, I'll talk about it. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Cole was the head coach of the US men's basketball team. In the semi-finals against Serbia, he directly pressed the Celtic core Tatum on the bench, DNP (not played)! This operation made Boston fans crazy at the time and there was a lot of criticism on the Internet. But Kerr was very calm and said after the game: "Tatum is in a state that is unstable, I have to be responsible for winning." As a result, the US team narrowly won 95-91, and Kerr's choice was fine. In the 2025 playoffs, Tatum pulled two games in a row against the Pacers, failed to make a layup at critical moments, and was intercepted by a final kill. The Celtics were behind 0-2. Only then did the fans remember: Cole's original DNP was really reasonable!

NBA analyst Skip Bayless commented: "Keal's view of the player's condition is like a doctor taking an X-ray, which is scary." I think Cole's vision is indeed poisonous, but he has to admit that he dares to make such a decision and is under a lot of pressure from public opinion. DNP is a super giant, who can't be criticized for a few streets?

Warriors fans, don't rush to label Cole, and don't just stare at his 35 million contract. The playoffs are still playing, let’s see if Cole can continue to “turn decay into magic” with the Warriors. For ordinary fans, you might as well pay more attention to the Warriors' rotation and defensive details. Cole's "old fox" tactics are interesting. In the long run, Kerr's success this time will probably make other NBA teams rethink: how to open a contract for the coach and how to support the coach's tactical experiment. Curry is not here, Cole has come forward, this drama is still exciting!