Warriors Rumors: Knicks, Suns, Wizards 'Worth Monitoring' as Bob Myers Landing Spots
A front-office shakeup that could significantly alter the NBA landscape might be brewing on the West Coast.
The Athletic's Anthony Slater, Marcus Thompson II and Sam Amick reported Wednesday that sources around Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers "are wondering whether—and even predicting that—his days with the Warriors are about to run out."
In the event he moves on from Golden State, Myers would be highly in demand based on the success he has enjoyed with the Warriors. The report cited the Washington Wizards, Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks as three teams "worth monitoring as possibilities." The Los Angeles Clippers could be an option as well.
Per Slater, Thompson and Amick, the uncertainty surrounding Myers stems from his contract situation. His deal is due to expire in the summer, and negotiations reportedly "remain flat." As you'd expect, the 47-year-old is looking to be compensated with a salary befitting his reputation:
"Joe Lacob told The Athletic's Tim Kawakami in early January that Myers is already 'top three among general managers' in pay. That's where a disagreement clearly lies.
"According to several people with ballpark knowledge of executive salaries around the league, Myers falls somewhere in the range of either sixth, seventh or eighth on the base salary totem pole."
Money typically hasn't been an issue for Warriors majority governor Joe Lacob. Since Golden State became a perennial title contender, the franchise has routinely run one of the highest payrolls in the NBA.
In addition to $189.5 million in player salaries for the 2022-23 season, Lacob is on the hook for $170.2 million in luxury tax payments this year.
It would be surprising if ownership allowed Myers to walk in the offseason over a pay dispute.
The Athletic report posited Myers' contract may not be the only factor at play. The two-time NBA Executive of the Year could prefer a fresh start where the demands on him aren't so high and he'd have the opportunity to organically build another organization into a championship winner.
For Myers, the Warriors' 23-24 record on the heels of last season's NBA Finals triumph is evidence of how keeping them at the top of the league will only become more difficult.
Stephen Curry turns 35 in March, while Klay Thompson and Draymond Green will be 33 when the 2023-24 season tips off. Whether Green is still on the team at that point isn't even assured since he's eligible to become a free agent in the summer.
Continuing to build around Curry, Thompson and Green presents clear challenges, while breaking up that Big Three will be difficult given what they have each meant to the organization.
With the Warriors in such a delicate position, losing Myers could have a significant ripple effect. A new general manager might be more willing to lose Green. Curry could have serious questions over the short-term direction with Myers' replacement.
Slater, Thompson and Amick wrote how Myers "would strongly prefer his contract situation stay out of the spotlight as the Warriors try to defend their title."
The longer the season goes on without an extension, the more this is bound to become a major story, though.
