Warriors news: Steve Kerr addresses David Fizdale firing, what would've happened had he taken Knicks job

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr speaks out on the Knicks' firing of David Fizdale, adding that it could have been him in Fizdale's position.

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr nearly chose the New York Knicks when then president Phil Jackson, his former coach with the Chicago Bulls, offered the vacant position to him in 2014.

At the last second, however, Kerr fortuitously decided on the Warriors — making the right decision that would lead to three NBA championships.

Jeff Hornacek instead got the job and was fired two years later. Now, the same cycle repeated with David Fizdale, the second-year head coach who won two titles as an assistant with the Miami Heat.

Fiz got the ax on Friday after the Knicks fell 4-18 in the East for the second-worst record in the NBA.

Reflecting on his decision not to sign on as New York's head coach, Kerr on Friday admitted he would have been in Fizdale's shoes three years ago.

“Big fan of David's, I've gotten to know him pretty well over the years — he's a hell of a coach. And as we know in this business it's extremely fragile and your job is dependent on a lot of things when you're a coach in this league,” Kerr said, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

“Number one probably the talent that you're able to coach, but just as importantly the strength of the organization … it takes a really strong organization to help coaches, to help players get through difficult times. I'm very blessed to have that group around me here and I know not every coach does, so it's a tough league.

“If I had gone to New York that would have been me like three years ago, I'm well aware of that, that's just the way it goes. I think I made the right choice.”

Steve Kerr on David Fizdale’s firing and the occasional what if, on days like today, as in: What if he took the Knicks job instead of the Warriors one? “That would’ve been me three years ago.” pic.twitter.com/W7Rrc3TTcF

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 6, 2019

Jackson left the Knicks organization in not-the-best fashion in June 2017.

Soon afterwards, his general manager Steve Mills was re-promoted to team president and Mills in turn hired Sacramento Kings vice president Scott Perry as his GM. The pair of Knicks executives hired Fizdale in May 2018.

Now, less than two years later, Fizdale is out and Kerr is glad it wasn't him.