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Warriors GM Talks Draymond Green, Steve Kerr, Jerry West

June 3rd, 2017 at 7:17pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Warriors are set to face the Cavaliers in Game 2 of the NBA Finals tomorrow night, which could be the team’s 14th straight postseason game without head coach Steve Kerr. Kerr has not been able to be on the sidelines due to chronic back pain stemming from 2015 surgery. To this point, Kerr’s empty seat has been filled admirably by assistant coach Mike Brown, who has led Golden State throughout the postseason.

Warriors general manager Bob Myers spoke to reporters, including San Jose Mercury News’ Tim Kawakami, to discuss several topics, Kerr included. Myers indicated there’s no pressure on Kerr to return this postseason.

“No, it’s kind of been, ‘I’ll tell you when I feel like I’m there.’ But it’s not… I’ve been very respectful… People have asked, ‘Are you guys pressuring…?’ There’s no pressure here,” Myers said about Kerr’s return. “When that day comes, and he says I’m ready, I think we’ll say go coach.” It has been reported that Kerr could be good to go for Game 2 but the team, and Kerr, are taking it on a game-by game basis. “The way we’re choosing to do it is, give him as much time as he needs. If he gets to that point in time, we’ll deal with it then,” he added.

Aside from Kerr, another person with the Warriors who has received attention is NBA legend and Warriors executive Jerry West, who has received interest from the Clippers for a front office position. Myers confirmed that West has permission to speak with other teams and that Golden State will not stand in his way. Yeah. Jerry does what Jerry wants to do. Who are we to deny Jerry permission?” Meyers said.

Finally, Draymond Green — despite a subpar Game 1 — will be a vital part for the team if the Warriors hope to secure their second title in three years. Green was suspended for Game 5 of last year’s finals, allowing the Cavaliers to win the final two games and the series. Myers does not want Green — who is notorious for racking up technical fouls — to change his game but he smart with his decision.

“He hasn’t lost any of the intensity and he hasn’t lost his edge,” Myers said. “That’s the hardest challenge, when you have that type of emotion, is to channel it. And he’s really been able to do it.”

Steve Kerr’s Condition Continues to Worsen

April 26th, 2017 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The physical problems that caused Warriors coach Steve Kerr to miss the final two games of the first-round series have gotten worse over the past week, reports Anthony Slater of The San Jose Mercury News. Kerr’s indefinite absence from the team may stretch well into the second round or even beyond.

Kerr was at Stanford Medical Center today getting further tests and had to miss the first practice in preparation for the next round of playoffs. Interim coach Mike Brown was in charge and said he will plan to coach the rest of the postseason unless GM Bob Myers tells him differently.

Brown talked to Kerr Tuesday night about strategies for facing the Jazz or Clippers in the next round. Brown refused to comment on Kerr’s condition, referring all those questions to Myers.

Kerr is still dealing with the effects of surgery that he had in the summer of 2015 to repair a ruptured disk in his back. That created a fluid leak in his spine, and a follow-up operation was needed. Kerr missed the first 43 games of last season and still hasn’t returned to full health.

Myers addressed his coach’s condition after today’s practice in an interview on 95.7 The Game. He said the organization hasn’t set a timetable for a return, and he wants to see Kerr have several good days in a row before he comes back to the bench.

“For him to live the life that he wants to live, we need to figure it out,” Myers said. “I think we will.”

The Warriors won’t play again until Sunday, and maybe not until Tuesday if the Jazz-Clippers series goes to a seventh game. Brown plans to continue having strategy sessions with Kerr and will try to handle his absence as smoothly as possible.

“You hope it’s seamless,” Brown said. “I’ve been coaching a long time and even though Steve’s older than me — a lot older than me (laughs) — he’s been coaching for three years now and I’ve learned a ton from him. Not just X’s and O’s. Maybe [Gregg Popovich] rivals it, but he’s by far the best communicator I’ve been around. There’s no way I’ll be able to emulate that. Just being here a year, having the veterans we have, the staff we have, it’s made it, in my opinion, seamless.”

Pacific Notes: Warriors, Durant, Kings

February 25th, 2017 at 7:24pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Warriors don’t anticipate adding a big man via the buyout market, Anthony Slater of the Bay Area News Group passes along via Twitter. Coach Steve Kerr said he likes how the current roster is constructed and doesn’t want to end up having too many frontcourt players on the team.

Here’s more from the Pacific Division:

Kevin Durant wants to be a GM or an owner of an NBA team once his playing career is over, Slater relays in a full-length piece. “ [I] Want to be a GM, want to own a team, hopefully own a team and run it,” Durant said. “So I look to see what rumors are getting out there, what deals are being presented to these teams. Try to figure that stuff out. It’s fun, especially for a guy who knows that part of the business.” Durant added that he regularly talks front office strategy with Kerr and Warriors GM Bob Myers.
Garrett Temple injured his hamstring earlier in the month, but he’s progressing and he hopes to be back on the floor for the Kings in a week or two, Sean Cunningham of ABC10 tweets.
The Kings have a history of trading away their All-Star players, Jon Schultz of the Sacramento Bee writes. The team has had six All-Stars since moving to Sacramento in 1985 and with the exception of Vlade Divac, all of the players were sent elsewhere via trade.

Lakers Notes: Myers, Williams, Brewer

February 22nd, 2017 at 12:00am CST by ChrisCrouse

The Lakers are finalizing a deal with longtime player agent Rob Pelinka to be the team’s new GM, but he wasn’t the organization’s first choice for the job. Current Warriors GM Bob Myers was the team’s top choice for the gig, but the Lakers didn’t have confidence that Myers would be willing to leave Golden State, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.

Here’s more from Los Angeles:

The Lakers had multiple offers which included first-round picks on the table for Lou Williams over the past few weeks, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com reports (Twitter links). Shelburne adds that the team was so confident that it could net a first-rounder, it offered that pick in DeMarcus Cousins negotiations.
President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson said that he’s “already talked to five GM’s” and added that he’ll be the person handling trade inquiries going forward for the Lakers, as Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News relays (Twitter link).
Corey Brewer didn’t expect the Rockets to trade him this season, but he’s looking forward to a new opportunity with the Lakers, as Mark Berman of Fox 26 passes along (Twitter link). “Yeah, I was shocked.“ Brewer said. “I’m going to be a Laker. So I have to make the most of that opportunity. I can talk to the young guys and try to help them. Brandon Ingram is going to be a really good player. So hopefully, I can take him under my wing, help him develop and be one of the best.”

Agent Rob Pelinka Frontrunner For Lakers’ GM Job

February 21st, 2017 at 1:48pm CST by Luke Adams

With general manager Mitch Kupchak and executive VP of basketball operations Jim Buss having been relieved of their duties in the Lakers’ front office, new president of basketball operations Magic Johnson will call the shots in L.A. However, the club remains on the lookout for a new GM, and according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical and Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report (Twitter links), longtime player agent Rob Pelinka has emerged as a frontrunner for the position.

ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne first reported (via Twitter) that Pelinka, who represents Kobe Bryant and many current NBA players, was on the Lakers’ radar for a front office role. If the team decides to hire Pelinka, he would have to divest himself of his representation business, which would take some time, as Wojnarowski notes (via Twitter).

Several other rumors are swirling as the Lakers’ front office undergoes major changes, so let’s round them up…

Assuming the Lakers haven’t already decided on Pelinka, there are a number of other potential candidates believed to be on their radar, per Sam Amick of USA Today (Twitter links). According to Amick, Blazers GM Neil Olshey, former Cavs GM Chris Grant, Pacers GM Kevin Pritchard, and Pacers VP of basketball operations Peter Dinwiddie are worth keeping an eye on.
ESPN’s Marc Stein reports (via Twitter) that another veteran player agent – Arn Tellem – is also said to be a potential target for the Lakers. However, as Rod Beard of The Detroit News tweets, Tellem – who formerly represented Kobe Bryant – has been very involved in the Pistons‘ move to downtown Detroit and seems unlikely to bolt in the middle of that project.
Magic Johnson has previously talked about wanting Bryant to have a role in the Lakers’ front office. Shelburne tweets that the future Hall-of-Famer is “happy doing what he’s doing,” but would be available to the organization if needed.
Jerry West hasn’t been approached by the Lakers about a role in the team’s front office, tweets Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times. According to Ding (via Twitter), West won’t be a part of the club’s new management group.
According to Tim Kawakami of The San Jose Mercury News (Twitter links), one reason the Warriors were motivated to give GM Bob Myers a promotion and a raise last summer was to avoid making him a target for the Lakers.

Trade Notes: Warriors, Gibson, Raptors, Okafor

February 15th, 2017 at 2:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors haven’t been involved in many trade rumors in recent weeks, which makes sense, since it’s hard to find many areas the team needs to improve. According to Anthony Slater of The San Jose Mercury News, general manager Bob Myers intends to keep an eye out for possible deals, but is happy to stand pat if nothing materializes.

“We don’t want to disrupt what we have,” the Warriors GM said. “Doesn’t mean we won’t answer the phone, doesn’t mean we won’t explore possibilities. But reality is, we like who we have and, even if we didn’t, our options are somewhat limited. Utah has our first (round pick) this year from the (Andre) Iguodala transaction back in 2013. So we’ll see what happens. If we end up not doing anything, that would be a fine outcome as well.”

Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:

Before the Raptors traded for Serge Ibaka on Tuesday, the team had been engaged in discussions with the Bulls about Taj Gibson. According to Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com, Terrence Ross wasn’t believed to be a part of those talks, though the two sides were discussing a package that included a first-round pick. Having sent Ross and a first-rounder to Orlando, the Raps are now almost certainly out on Gibson, though the veteran power forward acknowledges there will likely be more chatter up until next Thursday.
Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun wonders if the Raptors are considering a follow-up move after trading for Ibaka. As Wolstat points out, Toronto will have a crowded frontcourt when Patrick Patterson gets healthy, and Cory Joseph might be expendable if the club has confidence in its other point guard options behind Kyle Lowry.
Having been pulled from the Sixers‘ lineup for the last two games, Jahlil Okafor admits he thought there was a “good chance” he’d be traded to another team by now, as Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer details. However, he’s ready to focus on his return to the court tonight in Boston.
A handful of ESPN insiders, including Kevin Pelton and Amin Elhassen (Insider link), examine the Pacific division and make a few suggestions for what sort of deals the Clippers, Kings, Lakers, Suns, and Warriors should consider.

Warriors Rumors: Durant, Jones, New Arena

December 1st, 2016 at 7:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kevin Durant has quickly assimilated himself into the Warriors’ offense and his production is comparable to his MVP season in 2013/14, Sam Amick of USA Today points out. Durant is on pace to have the most efficient season of all time for a player averaging at least 25 points a game, Amick notes. The perennial All-Star forward has posted a player efficiency rating of 30.7, higher than the 29.8 PER he had during that MVP season with the Thunder. Unlike the struggles of the Heat’s Big Three during their first season together, the Warriors are already maximizing the talents of Durant, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, as they are taking nearly the same amount of shots, Amick continues. The Warriors are averaging 117.6 points a game, which would make them the most prolific offense since the 1991-92 Warriors, Amick adds.

In other Warriors news:

First-round pick Damian Jones is unlikely to claim a rotation spot this season, GM Bob Myers said in a radio interview that was relayed on CSNBayArea.com. Jones has been shuttling between the Warriors and the team’s D-League affiliate the past two weeks after recovering from a pectoral injury. The 7-footer out of Vanderbilt has yet to make his NBA debut. He is averaging 2.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocks over 19.4 minutes per contest with the Santa Cruz Warriors. “It’s gonna be hard to crack our rotation,” Myers told radio station 95.7 The Game. “He hasn’t played basketball in seven months. He needs to play a lot more basketball. But we’re encouraged.
Rockets star guard James Harden wasn’t upset that Durant left the Rockets off his list of teams that he visited during free agency last summer, Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com writes. “It would have been nice for a visit,” Harden told Watkins. “For himself and his family, he made the decision, and he’s very confident about it.”
Rick Welts, the team’s Chief Operating Officer, said in a statement the franchise plans to break ground soon on a new arena now that another legal hurdle has been cleared, according to Monte Poole of CSNBayArea.com. The California Appeals Court upheld a previous ruling that declared the Environmental Impact Report for the team’s site on San Francisco’s Mission Bay met all required standards. The ruling is likely to be appealed by the Mission Bay Alliance to the California Supreme Court, Poole continues. The Warriors plan to vacate Oracle Arena after the 2018/19 season and move into Chase Center in 2019, Poole adds.

Warriors Announce Front Office Promotions

September 20th, 2016 at 9:57pm CST by Luke Adams

9:57pm: In addition to his promotion, Myers received a substantial pay increase and a contract extension, though the exact length and amount are currently unknown, Tim Kawakami of The Bay Area News Group reports (Twitter links).

3:59pm: The Warriors announced a handful of new titles for members of their front office today, with several executives receiving promotions. The most notable of the changes within Golden State’s front office was a promotion for Bob Myers, who was named the team’s president of basketball operations and general manager. Myers had previously just been the Warriors’ GM.

In addition to giving Myers a new role, the team also elevated Travis Schlenk to VP of basketball operations/assistant GM, Kirk Lacob to VP of GSW Sports Ventures/assistant GM, and Larry Harris to assistant GM/director of player personnel.

Given the Warriors’ success in recent years – winning a title in 2014/15 and setting the regular-season wins record in 2015/16 – it comes as no surprise that the franchise wanted to reward members of the front office. Myers, in particular, has been instrumental in building the most talented roster in the NBA.

Myers was hired by the Warriors as an assistant general manager in 2011, with the club drafting Klay Thompson in the first round of that year’s draft just a couple months later. In 2012, Myers received a promotion to general manager — during his first offseason as Golden State’s GM, Myers used a second-round pick to select Draymond Green and inked Stephen Curry to a four-year, $44MM extension.

The Warriors have a 238-90 (.726) regular-season record since Myers took over as the team’s GM.

Western Notes: Kings, Clippers, Rockets, Warriors

February 11th, 2016 at 2:56pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Kings will try to make defensive improvements at the trade deadline, GM Vlade Divac said on “The Grant Napear Show” on CBS Sports 1140 in Sacramento, tweets James Ham of CSN California. The Rockets would prefer to add a shooter via trade, Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com hears (Twitter link). The Clippers are expected to assess their need for a backup point guard with Austin Rivers injured, according to Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times (on Twitter). The Warriors, meanwhile, aren’t looking to fix what isn’t broken, as GM Bob Myers said in a radio appearance on 95.7 The Game, as Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group relays (Twitter link).

“It’d have to be something unbelievable to really mess with the chem & the personnel on the team,” Myers said.

See more from the Western Conference:

Divac acknowledged that he was thinking about making a coaching change and had full authority to do so, but simply decided against it, as he said in an appearance on “The Grant Napear Show” on CBSports 1140 in Sacramento, notes Sean Cunningham of KXTV-TV in Sacramento (Twitter link). However, the resistance that Kings minority-share owners put up against eating the rest of George Karl‘s salary also played into the decision to keep the coach, as Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com said today in an appearance on ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike” show (audio link), and as RealGM transcribes. That jibes with an earlier suggestion from Sam Amick of USA Today. Vivek Ranadive owns a controlling share of the team, but it doesn’t constitute a majority of the franchise, Windhorst points out.
Communication with management didn’t go smoothly for former Kings coach Tyrone Corbin last season, as he said this week on SiriusXM NBA Radio’s “NBA Today” show (Twitter link; audio link). “It was a mess. The organization was kind of playing it both ways,” Corbin said.
Bryce Dejean-Jones and the Pelicans have only slightly different figures in mind, Scott Kushner of The New Orleans Advocate hears, advancing his earlier report that the rookie shooting guard is in talks with the Pels and other teams (Twitter links). The shooting guard is seeking a two- or three-year deal following the expiration of his second 10-day contract with New Orleans on Wednesday, Kushner adds. The Pelicans are ineligible to sign him to any more 10-day deals.
The Rockets offered Josh Smith more money in free agency last summer than the minimum-salary deal he signed with the Clippers, Rockets GM Daryl Morey said on the “Chad, Joe & Lo” show on 95.7 The Game in the Bay Area (audio link; transcription via HoopsHype). Smith wound up with the Rockets anyway via trade.

Warriors Notes: Walton, Kerr, Iguodala, Myers

November 24th, 2015 at 2:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

Steve Kerr still isn’t coaching the Warriors, but he’s a consistent presence around the team, and GM Bob Myers tells USA Today’s Sam Amick he’s grateful that Kerr and interim coach Luke Walton work together as well as they do.

“We’re talking normally a couple times a day now,” Walton said to Amick about Kerr. “And if it’s a home game, we talk at halftime, we talk pregame, we talk at shootarounds. It’s getting more and more.”

The NBA record-tying 15-0 start officially goes on Kerr’s ledger, not Walton’s, but no one on the team is making that an issue, and Walton remains essentially “the same guy” he was when he wasn’t in charge, Stephen Curry said to Amick. See more on the Warriors before they go for an unprecedented 16th straight win to start the season tonight when they play the Lakers:

The Warriors have a collaborative front office, and that sensibility extends to the coaching staff as well, as Ken Berger of CBSSports.com details. Assistant coach Jarron Collins credits Kerr. “If you have an idea and you’re in our organization, he wants to hear about it and he’s willing to listen,” Collins said to Berger. “Steve values input from everybody. When you’re in an environment like that, it makes for a very, very special environment and atmosphere to learn.”
Warriors players, cognizant that Harrison Barnes is headed to restricted free agency this summer, are intent on helping him as much as possible on the court, Andre Iguodala said in a recent postgame interview with Rosalyn Gold-Onwude of CSNBayArea (video link), as Dan Feldman of ProBasketballTalk transcribes.
Before he became Executive of the Year, Myers was an agent at Wasserman Media Group, where he made an impression on chairman and CEO Casey Wasserman, as Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News writes in a profile of Myers. “He had impeccable relationships with the clients. More importantly, he became a friend and valuable part of the company,” Wasserman said. “His success he’s having now is no surprise to me or to anyone else who [has] worked with him.”