Why the Warriors are at risk of losing Bob Myers (2023)

— Story narrated by Anthony Slater, Marcus Thompson II and Sam Amick.

The six were crouched in plain sight in the equipment area of ​​theKriegerLocker room: Joe Lacob, Bob Myers, Kirk Lacob, Mike Dunleavy Jr., Kent Lacob and Shaun Livingston.

The Warriors had just suffered what could be their worst loss of the season, beaten by aPhoenixteam withoutDevin Booker,screams pauljdeandre ayton. And it happened that night at the Chase CenterStefan CurryThe return of the injury should actually trigger a resurgence. Instead, the Warriors were 20-21 at halftime after the embarrassing loss, a huge and upsetting performance to fuel this hurried Golden State Chiefs dome.

But while they simultaneously manage to defend a championship and develop the future, bigger questions swirl around the franchise and threaten to hasten the final days of one of the sport's most respected dynasties. And perhaps the biggest question mark was that he was 6ft 1in and had already put on a hoodie and hoodie for the post-game session.

How long will Bob Myers be part of this think tank?

In his 12th season as the Warriors' head of basketball operations, he is the second most important voice in a room full of influencers at the organization, but his contract expires in July.

As the clock ticks down and disclosure conversations peter out, many in Myers are wondering if, and evenpredictque: Your days with the Warriors are coming to an end. This result would raise some critical questions: Why? What could come next? How would that affect the warriors?

Myers' departure would certainly be troubling for Curry. Myers is the Warriors coach Curry is closest to.

The reigning Finals MVP has been increasingly vocal about his winning prospects, and Myers was an important voice in allaying Curry's concerns about the franchise's direction and commitment to the present. Curry's tendency is for Warriors management to maximize the championship window and insist it's still open. One can imagine how the face of the franchise would react to losing the face of the front office whose company is going throughAndré Iguodala,Kevin DurantjAndrés WigginsThey were instrumental in winning rings.

In addition to Curry, Steve Kerr andDrummond VerdeThe close relationship between Myers and Myers is well known. Green has a player option for next season and could opt for a walk. Kerr's current contract expires after next season. Dunleavy is Myers' right-hand man and has been hired as her confidant. Several key figures in the organization have close ties to Myers.,Therefore, their departure has the potential to be the first domino in the transition to the next era.

Despite any nuances surrounding the situation, one thing is clear: team and league sources, who, like all sources in this story, have been granted anonymity so they can speak freely, say Myers believes they should be among the toughest managers. well paid. League executives, if not the highest. He was the architect of fourNBAFirst Teams, was the main recruiter in Durant's Free Agency signing and was the trusted conduit for players, coaches and owners. Myers also acted as the primary problem solver, the coolant in an ecosystem that regularly overheats.

Myers, who declined to comment for the story, prefers his contract status to remain out of the spotlight as the Warriors try to defend their title. He managed to keep all of his previous dealings largely behind the scenes. But running back status and the prospect of being noticed by one of the NBA's most sought-after executives emerges as one of the league's biggest hidden stories. And money, as so often, seems to be at the center of this potential divide.

said Joe Lacobthe sportyTim Kawakami in early January that Myers is already"Top 3 entre General Managers"about payment There is clearly a difference of opinion here.

According to several people with common knowledge of executive salaries in the league, Myers falls somewhere on the sixth, seventh or eighth line on the base salary totem pole.

While front-office salaries are often even more confidential than coaches, executives like Philadelphia's Daryl Morey, Toronto's Masai Ujiri, Miami's Pat Riley, Minnesota's Tim Connelly, R.C. Industry experts consider New York's Buford and Leon Rose to be the highest paid and likely above Myers when it comes to annual pay. Top executives earn more than $10 million, according to league sources. Incentives are often added to these offers. Myers got an incentive for the Warriors to win the previous title.

Money cannot be the only factor. It is possible that some existential considerations underpin these negotiations. Known for his deep conversations and intellectual curiosity, part of the equation for Myers is contemplating what comes next. After more than a decade of building a dynasty, guiding it through the intensity of modern sleuthing, and living under the unrelenting pressure of the Warriors' championship standard, would Myers be interested in a new challenge? Would it be best for him and his family to move on and build another franchise away from the aquarium? He left a successful career as a player agent to become an NBA manager. Now is it time to leave the front office behind and try your luck in another sector? He recently started a mainstream podcast. Curry was his first guest.

Given some of the options Myers had, who could blame him for wanting an elite offer from the Warriors? In particular, Myers' drafting by the Sixers in the summer of 2018 spoke volumes about his value beyond the walls of the Warriors.

After the public relations disaster that followedthe resignation of Bryan Colangelo,the Sixers, sources say, went to great lengths to woo Myers.PhiladelphiaHe was willing to put him at the top of the league's salary scale, or at least very close to it. Ultimately, Myers decided to stay with the Warriors. If he left Golden State this summer, he would likely be the most desirable free agent on the market.

But where could I go?

According to sources close to the situation, Washington, Phoenix and New York are possibilities worth keeping an eye on. Meanwhile, in front-office circles, where the Myers situation has become a hot topic, recent focus is on thescissors. They have the richest owner in all of professional sports in Steve Ballmer, the 66-year-old former Microsoft CEO with aNet worth of $83 billionwho have taken a blank check approach in their pursuit of the title since buying the team in 2014.

Myers' roots run deep in the Los Angeles area. He played at UCLA, earned a law degree from Loyola Law School, and was a top agent for Los Angeles-based Wasserman Media Group before joining the Warriors in 2011 as an assistant general manager.kawhi leonard–Paulo Jorgeera, a source with knowledge of the Clippers' operation dismissed the much-debated possibility of Myers.

Bottom line: It's too early to say where Myers might end up if he leaves the Warriors or stays in the NBA. Sources close to Myers also left open the possibility that he might pursue opportunities outside of sports. That would lend credence to the idea that Myers could leave the Warriors due to exhaustion.

Working with a majority owner like Joe Lacob offers competitive advantages. He spent historical salary figures on the list. When a technical staff review was requested two summers ago, he opened his checkbook. They continue to expand their front office workforce, scanning department and medical staff.

That's the case if Myers stays. You would be hard pressed to find a place that offers more features. Working in the Bay Area where he was born and raised, he becomes a legend for the franchise he grew up with. All the while, you'll earn a significant amount of money, if not the most in the league, and have the perks of running the glamorous NBA team.

In the NBA world, what the Warriors lead is seen as an elitist life, fueled by an insatiable desire for unbridled success. For that reason, some experts believe that, given a deadline and a dollar amount he must raise to keep Myers, Lacob will pay whatever it takes to keep him. Council salaries are not credited to luxury tax.

But the same constant ambition that makes the Warriors an elite franchise is the same constant ambition that plagues those in direct orbit. According to sources, Lacob is more involved than ever in day-to-day staffing decisions. He studies the project, attends training courses and builds large panels. He played an influential role in the franchise's decision to use its five most recent picks for up-and-coming teens, rather than diverting some of that capital to more reliable older help to maximize the present.

The Warriors achieved that balance between two timelines and still won a title last June. This season, after the cast was swamped with unprepared youngsters, the mix became more problematic. Losses piled up, creating additional tension for all those plotting victory.j-Develop needle.

Myers is the main referee in this high-stakes match. When fundamental concerns arise from Kerr or the stars of the roster, Myers is the trusted ear. When agents wonder why their young clients can't have a career, Myers is the one to explain. When Durant ruptured his Achilles tendon, whenJames Weisemannmissed an entire season when Draymond tagged GreenJordan Poole, it is Myers who faces the public. As Lacob turns up the heat, Myers moves closer to the fire and the toothpick damper.

This summer is reaching its climax. Growing concerns about the Warriors' luxury taxes and rising salaries lead to painful personal decisions. This could mean a choice to part ways with Green orklay thompson, two living legends of the franchise who have expressed concerns about their future with the Warriors beyond their current contracts.

Myers can't be thrilled at the prospect of making that call, especially considering he has to deliver the message at number 30.

It's not like any of the other execs who have also gone into this franchise want to make that call. But if the dynasty comes to an end and the warriors lean towards the future, it might convince Myers to ride into the sunset. Perhaps the fact that he is the highest paid manager in the league will convince him to stay. Or maybe leaning into the remaining years of the championship window will reawaken his loyalty to the stars and convince him he still has work to do with the Warriors.

Much has to happen before Myers' future is decided. What happens on the pitch can be decisive. Did the Warriors come in late in the regular season, look like a postseason contender, and make the Warriors spend whatever it takes to keep the core together? Or do they continue on their current path of mediocrity, unable to sustain excellence long enough to divert their focus from the future?

Three nights after losing to Phoenix, the Warriors helped draw an NBA record crowd of 68,323 to San Antonio. More importantly, they beat themTracksfor a good road win, his fourth in 20 attempts away from the Chase Center. It was the start they needed in a five-game journey.

But then they went to Chicago and lost to thembullswithout your best playerDeMar DeRozan. The Warriors gave up 73 second-half points in a mediocre effort that left them under .500.

After that game, the top of the Warriors rallied. Dunleavy, who some have pointed to as a possible successor to Myers, Kent Lacob and Livingston, was in attendance. But Myers was not in the room. He later joined the team in D.C. to get together. But it was a window into the possible future, briefing and problem-solving session without the 6-7 guy in the sweats.

(Illustrative Photo: John Bradford /the sporty; Foto: Bart Young / Getty Images)