Bob Myers is among the most accomplished general managers in basketball, but at the moment, his future with the Golden State Warriors appears uncertain. His contract with Golden State is believed to expire in June, and according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, talks on a new deal are on a hiatus at the moment. “My entire focus is on the season and the team,” Myers told ESPN on Saturday, without offering further comment.
Warriors owner Joe Lacob expressed a desire to retain Myers. “We love Bob and hope he is here for a long time,” he told ESPN. Myers took over as general manager in 2012, and while he did not draft Stephen Curry, his fingerprints are on just about every other move the Warriors have made while winning four championships in eight years. He was the assistant general manager in 2011, when the team picked Klay Thompson, and he himself made the choice to draft Draymond Green in 2012. He oversaw the pursuit of Kevin Durant as a free agent in 2016 and the subsequent rebuilding of the Warriors after Durant left in 2019. Were he to hit the open market, he would almost certainly become the most hotly-pursued executive in basketball.
In theory, Golden State should be doing everything in its power to retain Myers at this critical juncture of its dynasty. Green can become a free agent after the season, and Thompson’s contract expires after next season. The Warriors just had the highest payroll in NBA history, and if they retain both Green and Thompson next season, they would shatter that record thanks to Jordan Poole’s new contract. Additionally, many of the younger players the Warriors expected to step into bigger roles this season such as James Wiseman, Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga have struggled. The franchise’s path forward, both with Curry and beyond, is unclear.
Wojnarowski did not name any possible replacements should Myers leave the Warriors at the end of the season, but an obvious candidate would be Kirk Lacob, son of the owner of the team. He currently holds the title of executive vice president of basketball operations and has worked in the front office for the duration of their dynasty.
Wojnarowski also notes that Warriors coach Steve Kerr is also discussing a contract with the team, but as he has two years left on his deal so there’s no pressing need to ink an extension now. The pressure is significantly greater if the team plans to keep Myers. Aside from Raptors president Masai Ujiri, top executives almost never get this close to free agency. If the Warriors don’t re-sign Myers, he would likely have his pick of any other available job in basketball.
