Given the extent to which the Warriors‘ stars have been plagued by injuries since 2019, president of basketball operations Bob Myers admitted in a conversation with Mark Medina of NBA.com that he kept his expectations for this season in check, even though he liked the roster the team put together.
Now that the Warriors are once again in the Western Conference Finals and are just four wins away from appearing in the NBA Finals for the sixth time in eight years, Myers feels a sense of satisfaction about how far the team has come since its 15-50 season in 2019/20.
“What makes it most gratifying is how hard it is,” Myers told Medina. “Having a couple of years out of the playoffs was not fun. But I have a better appreciation for being here and where we are now.”
Myers’ discussion with Medina touched on a wide variety of topics, including Jordan Poole‘s emergence, the Warriors’ approach to the trade deadline, and Andre Iguodala‘s health. Here are a few highlights from the Q&A, which is worth checking out in full:
Myers on Poole’s breakout season and success in the playoffs:
“We saw the potential. But when we draft players (late in the first round), realistically it’s really hard to know where it’s going to go. We thought it was possible, but we didn’t know he would reach it. But credit to him and the coaching staff that put the time in to perfect his craft. I’m happy for him that he’s showcasing this on a big stage, showing his skill set and fitting in with guys that are leading him. He’s been great, and I don’t know if we’d be where we are without him. It’ll be interesting to see where it all keeps going.”
On the Warriors’ decision not to add another center prior to the trade deadline in February:
“The league is realizing that size is really important, but it’s more about positional size than size at the center spot. We didn’t have a great option available to us. Secondly, I was under the impression we would have James Wiseman. He was trending well. We thought he’d be back, ready to go and help us with that vertical space. That didn’t happen and his rehab hit a bump in the road post-deadline. That put us in a tough spot, and the (buyout) market was pretty dry. We had to march forward.
“Size still matters. But (Kevon) Looney’s been an unbelievable, steadfast guy that often gets overlooked. When we need to go bigger, Draymond (Green) and Looney have shown they can do it. They’re capable. They’re not seven feet tall, but they’re versatile, switchable and very smart. We found a way. We’ll see if it keeps working and if we continue to win.”
On Iguodala’s ongoing recovery from a neck injury:
“He’s frustrated. He wants to play. Frankly, he could help us. He’s trying to get back. Because he hasn’t been able to play, he’s used his voice and has been very vocal. He’s one of the most respected players in the league and is very, very bright. He communicates on the bench, whether it’s with our coaches, young players and our older players. That matters, especially as you go deeper in the playoffs.”
When you are the worst team or lottery team, you target Championships the next season.
3 recent examples:
Suns 2020 lottery team, target 2021 championship
Warriors 2021 lottery team, targeting 2022 championship
Clippers 2022 lottery team, targeting 2023 championship
Lakers are targeting championships every year.
The above is just 4 examples for Pacific Division – only one division.
You are a special one Silli.
With Kevon Looney and Otto Porter both being Free Agents at Season-end, would like the team to consider Signing a veteran Big Man for next season.
Or even drafting one with one of our 3 Draft picks in June.
At the time of the Draft, I believe both Looney and Porter will be Free Agents, leaving us with just having James Wiseman under contract for next year. Who knows if either of those two will return or if Wiseman can ever stay healthy enough to be a contributer.
There will be some decent Bigs on the Free Agent market at Season’s end, if we don’t address Size in the draft: Boogie, Drummond, Whiteside, Biyambo, Lopez, Ibaka, Bradley, etc.. Most of those guys made $2.4M this past season.
With Kuminga and Moody likely to ascend in the rotation next season, a Big Man could replace either JTA’s or Lee’s roster spot. Don’t think we will need both next year.
As much as we can spare Draymond’s body from having to bang with the 7 Footers during the Regular season, I say do it. Need him healthy to guard those guys come Playoffs time.
There is no reason to spend a lot of money on bigs. They can be had on the cheap these days. If I’m Poole’s agent, I would insist on the post rookie max, or my client goes on the market.
Clippers will be tough next year. But they are brittle.
It’s about positional size across the board, literally word for word the things I’ve been saying with certain people here for a couple of years, who then try to pretend I say size doesnt matter anymore when I talk about bigs…Also guys like Draymond and Lonney may be undersized height wise, but their length is still much more than that
Anyway they need Iguodala in this series.
There is a reason I picked them to get to the finals before training camp, and to win a couple of weeks into the season. Their roster is deep and versatile, and their coaches know how to use it
It feels to me like the evolution of the center position is at center stage in these playoffs. The 3 top MVP candidates (who are the top modern centers) are out of the playoffs. of the 4 teams remaining, the Mavs have the tallest center at 6’10 Maxi Kleber…Bam 6’9…Looney 6’9…Williams 6’8. Is the number one skill needed in a modern center is the ability to defend an attacking guard on a switch/pick? The biggest match-up question in this round is: How well can Golden State’s center (Draymond) defend the Mavs point guard (Luka)?
I’ve said for years that the main thing I want from my 5 in today’s NBA is defend pick and roll, protect the rim, recover out to shooters, dont be a ball stopper