LOS ANGELES — As the playoffs wound down, these Warriors’ flameout wasn’t particularly poor. They held off the rising Kings in the first round and lost to a rising Lakers team in six games in the second round. In doing so, they presented themselves as a team that remains at least on the verge of realistic competition if the right roster adjustments are made.
This is important as the franchise’s senior decision-makers reconvene in the coming weeks to chart the way forward. They face a skyrocketing luxury tax, higher penalties under the new collective bargaining agreement for living in this financial state, and with it difficult decisions about how much to pay and to whom.
But in conversations with those pulling the organizational handles over the past few weeks, one thing has become clear: There’s still an internal belief that this established, aging core can compete for titles because Stephen Curry remains one the top 5 players in the NBA and Draymond is Green and Klay Thompson is showing no sign of a sharp decline. Green made the all-defensive team again this season, and Thompson led the NBA by 3 this season despite a brutal shooting streak against the Lakers (34.3 percent) that included just 3 of 19 hits in the playoff matches. Curry’s ability to keep these Warriors as competitors year after year motivates the franchise to maximize its peak years — even as the 2022 Finals MVP turned 35 in March.
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Controlling owner Joe Lacob must give the green light to all financial decisions. In the past, he has shown he is uncomfortable with letting the combined payroll and tax burden soar to over $400 million. If everyone is retained, including Green, who has a $27.6 million player option, it will go well beyond that.
But Lacob is thirsty for titles and this season the front office has been reminded yet again of Green’s indispensable value in that quest. If you lose green, you probably lose any realistic path to that ultimate goal.
As a result, the Warriors intend to discuss a new multi-year deal with Green, either via an opt-in and renewal or an entirely new deal after an opt-out, sources on the matter tell The Athletic. Green has influence: He is expected to be pursued by several playoff teams when he enters the open market, sources added. But both Green and the Warriors appear intent on discussing extending their partnership if the price is right. He just finished his 11th season with the franchise.
“I want to be a warrior for the rest of my life,” Green said after Game 6. “I want to go out with the same guys I went in with.”
(Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images)
The bigger question looming over the Warriors is whether Bob Myers, president of basketball operations, will lead the conversation with Green and his representatives. With the entire league keeping a close eye, Myers is likely to need time in the coming weeks to decide on his future. His contract runs until June 30, but clarification would probably be needed sooner. The draft is on June 22nd. The planning for the off-season and the free agency is already in full swing.
Lacob has publicly and privately expressed his hope of keeping Myers as the face in the Warriors’ front office and has offered him a new contract. The front office staff – below and around Myers – reflects this sentiment, a collective desire to maintain the established structure. But there’s also an admission Myers could walk out the door even if Lacob reaches the required count in contract negotiations.
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If Myers leaves, the general expectation is for an internal promotion rather than an outside search. The Warriors firmly believe in the front office leadership below Myers. Mike Dunleavy Jr. was seen by many as the natural successor. His visibility and responsibility have grown over the past two seasons. After losing the first game to the Lakers, Dunleavy was spotted in the weight room with Myers, where he had a lengthy debriefing with Curry and Green, the latest outward sign he’s being groomed for the position.
Kirk Lacob and Kent Lacob hold senior positions within the franchise. Kirk’s power extends to both basketball and business operations. He is profiling himself as a future owner rather than a future general manager. Kent is a rising voice in basketball and has earned acclaim through continued scouting internationally and in the G-League.
Shaun Livingston is a trusted voice with a bright future in the leadership world should he choose to continue down this path. Nick U’Ren, Jonnie West, Ryan Atkinson, Larry Harris, Pabail Sidhu (analytics) and Onsi Saleh (cap expert) are other established members of a mature front office structure.
But nobody has as much equity or established player relationships as Myers. With him gone, no one can match the delicate but powerful tone he can strike with Curry, Green and Thompson — a crucial trait when it comes to negotiating contracts, roster selection and the value of a lucrative franchise brand that the players have built mostly.
Thompson is eligible for an extension this summer. In the final year of his contract next season, he earns $43.2 million. If he wants to extend this summer with the Warriors, he’ll likely have to take a pay cut like Andrew Wiggins did last summer. This request and explanation is received more gently by Myers than by a front office run by Lacob.
(Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
In recent years, there has been an unspoken tug-of-war between two timelines as the roster below the Curry core has become overcrowded with forward-thinking youth. It reached a turning point that season and James Wiseman’s trade for Gary Payton II was seen as a necessary concession that brought new priority to the present.
But a certain tension remains. Jonathan Kuminga had an encouraging sophomore season, developing into the type of singles defender and winger who would have a long career in the NBA. He was great throughout the regular season, helping the Warriors get into the playoffs while Andrew Wiggins was off the team for a few months. Kuminga averaged 13.2 points in 24.2 minutes in the 21 games after the All-Star break.
But Wiggins returned, Payton came into the lineup and Kuminga was taken out of the playoff rotation, causing frustration for a young player trying to get his career off the ground and a front office that didn’t see him as a failure Draft pick considered.
Warriors decision makers recognize that some rotation retooling is required this summer. That could put Kuminga’s future in question. He’s been difficult to fit into lineup combos with Green and Kevon Looney – two non-shooters – and the backlog is expected to remain ahead of him.
Representatives for the Warriors and Kumingas are expected to discuss his future this offseason, league sources say. Golden State will have to decide if Kuminga will get a full-time job going forward, and if not, league sources say the 2021 NBA draft No. 7 would like to be in a place where he can play more.
But Jordan Poole’s future is more in doubt. His contract renewal begins next season and costs $27.4 million. That surge, along with Green’s retention, would put the Warriors in a luxury tax bracket that could be a non-starter for Lacob. It also now includes other squad-building restrictions, including losing the mid-level exception that allowed them to bring in Donte DiVincenzo last summer.
When cost cutting is required, he is considered the most likely candidate. Poole had a turbulent fourth season that began when he took Green’s infamous preseason hit during a training camp practice session. Poole remained professional after that and tensions cooled enough for the two to work together. But the relationship was never fully restored, and Poole’s troubles didn’t improve mood. They culminated in a challenging playoff that saw his efficiency plummet and minutes of action slashed.
There are still concerns about moving him. Poole has averaged 20.4 points this season and has strong offensive skills that are lacking in the roster below Curry and will be needed as the core ages. Is it wise to deviate from it when its value is at its lowest point in 12 months? Will the monetary crisis dictate it?
Steve Kerr is also in the final season of his contract. But Kerr has simply expressed a desire to stay on as the team’s coach and strengthen the profession – he will coach Team USA for the next few summers. So all the indications are that he will return, although it’s still too early to tell if extension talks will begin.
That’s one of the easier topics in an otherwise complicated offseason surrounding the Warriors as they await official news as to whether Myers will be the one pulling the strings on these important decisions.
“Draymond. clay. steph “Our core team still has a lot to offer,” Kerr said after the Game 6 loss. “It’s not like this is the end of the road. The organization has to make some decisions. Eventually we will reach that point.”
(Top photo by Stephen Curry: Harry How/Getty Images)