Title: “Joe Mazzulla Turns Down $25M Warriors Deal: ‘My Loyalty Lies with the Celtics—This Is Home’”

 

In an era where NBA coaching is as much a business as it is a brotherhood, Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has made a statement that echoes far beyond the parquet floor of TD Garden.

 

Fresh off signing a $14 million contract extension with Boston, Mazzulla reportedly turned down a stunning $25 million offer from the Golden State Warriors—a deal that would have made him one of the highest-paid coaches in league history. The reason? Loyalty. Legacy. And something much deeper than dollars.

 

> “My loyalty lies with the Celtics. This is home,” Mazzulla told reporters during an emotional press conference at the Auerbach Center. “You don’t walk away from family. You build with them.”

 

 

 

According to league sources, the Warriors’ offer was aggressive and unexpected. Following Steve Kerr’s surprising announcement that he would step away from coaching to take a front-office role, Golden State executives sought to re-energize their dynasty by recruiting one of the brightest young minds in basketball. Mazzulla, just 36, had led the Celtics to an NBA championship the previous season and had quickly earned a reputation for innovation, calm leadership, and tactical brilliance.

 

Their pitch included full control over basketball operations, a five-year deal worth $25 million, and the opportunity to lead a new era of Warriors basketball built around Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and the next generation of stars. For any coach, it was a career-defining opportunity. For Mazzulla, it was a respectful “no.”

 

Instead, he chose Boston—the franchise that gave him his first big opportunity, the city that embraced his underdog grit, and the roster of players he’s grown beside through both triumph and adversity.