Golden State Warriors

Steve Kerr takes big step toward return to Warriors bench

Published Dec. 29, 2015 3:03 p.m. ET

foxsports

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is traveling with the team as the Warriors embark on a Texas roadtrip, one of the most positive signs in Kerr's recovery since taking a leave of absence in October because of a spinal fliud leak, according to the Inside Bay Area.

Kerr boarded the Warriors' charter flight to Dallas on Tuesday, which will be the farthest he's traveled with them this season, according to the team.

Kerr has ramped up his involvement in team activities recently, even running a practice last week when Walton was sick. Though he admitted he's not 100 percent healthy yet, he said he hoped to return to the sidelines soon after accompanying the team on their back-to-back road games against the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets on Wednesday and Thursday.

''I'm confident I'll be back on the bench,'' Kerr said last week after practice. ''I wouldn't be here talking to you if I didn't. I wouldn't have been here the last nine days or whatever it's been. Things are moving in the right direction.''

Another sign Kerr is already starting to feel like his old self: He attended the Warriors' 122-103 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Monday and addressed the team at halftime after a poor first half. Whatever he said must've worked, as the Warriors outscored the Kings 32-14 in the third quarter to blow the game open.

The Warriors are 29-1 with Walton as their interim coach, and it'll be interesting to see what the transition period is like when Kerr officially steps back in -- if there is one at all.