Golden State Warriors’ General Manager Bob Myers has won plenty of plaudits over the last 12 months and beyond, and he deserves all of them. The 40-year-old was widely praised during and after the franchise’s championship-winning season, but it is important that he was officially recognised for his impressive body of work.
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Having been acknowledged as one of the brightest young minds in the NBA, Myers was rewarded with the executive of the year award last season, and in an emotional acceptance speech he was able to gain further recognition for his commitment, dedication and hard work to the cause.
The way in which he has assembled this roster has been impressive, and it wasn’t an overnight progression that landed in his lap and was handed over to Steve Kerr to end their wait to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy. Throughout his time in the role, Myers has been quick and decisive with his decisions while others may well have delayed and adopted a ‘wait-and-see’ approach in free agency.
First up was point guard and reigning MVP Stephen Curry, who signed a $44 million, four-year contract extension before the 2012-13 season to avoid becoming a restricted free agent the year after. Despite coming off his second surgery on his troublesome right ankle, Myers took a leap of faith in signing him up.
At the time, many criticised the move, citing it as risky, considering Curry’s ankle woes. He was yet to have a breakout season, and committing $44 million was a large sum back then. But now, that contract looks to be one of the best bargains in the league, with Curry still on the $11 million per year deal for another two seasons.
November 5, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Clippers 121-104. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
That characteristic has followed him throughout his tenure in the Bay Area, whether it was Andrew Bogut or Klay Thompson, Myers has made a point of acting quickly and showing faith in those players rather than letting the market play out.
While an element of luck is always involved in success, this can be put down to great management. A look at Myers’ first draft as general manager showed that they had a clear vision in mind and brought in the players required to make it a reality.
In 2012, Myers took Harrison Barnes, Festus Ezeli, Draymond Green and Ognjen Kuzmic, and two of those stars will have their futures decided ahead of free agency becoming an issue. Given the precedent that he has set, there will be no disillusion or concern, the decision will be swift and if the organisation values them, they will have their deal extended.
Naturally, some decisions may have been perceived as mistakes from a fan perspective, but in general, Myers and the management team have done an excellent job. In some instances they were forced to wait to make their move, the collective bargaining agreement ensured that Green couldn’t negotiate when the franchise arguably wanted to, but even he signed early in free agency to avoid any drama.
When the management has a clear identity and vision and the players buy into it and are made to feel wanted, that is the perfect recipe for success. Now the Warriors must add the desire to repeat that success to their armour and it can become a realistic possibility that we are celebrating another championship next June.
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