Bob Myers steps down as GM of Warriors

Golden State Warriors GM Bob Myers, who oversaw the building of the team’s championship-winning roster, is stepping down from his role.

His contract expires in late June and reportedly declined a new deal. Myers addressed the media at a news conference on Tuesday.

Bob Myers run as the leader of our Basketball Operations group was historic. pic.twitter.com/P3uydap7q6

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 30, 2023

Per C.J. Holmes of the San Francisco Chronicle, Myers had been extended multiple contract offers in recent months. But sources told the newspaper that Myers’ decision was not fueled solely by financial considerations and that Myers wanted to take more time to be with his family. Vice President of Basketball Operations Mike Dunleavy Jr. has reportedly been groomed as Myers’ replacement, per the San Francisco Chronicle.

As GM of the Warriors, Myers found much success and was twice named the NBA’s Executive of the Year (2014-15 and 2016-17). He hired coach Steve Kerr in 2014 after the team parted ways with Mark Jackson and oversaw several key key roster moves during his tenure.

Kerr has loved working alongside Myers in a collaborative way, something that can be unusual in professional sports between the front office and head coach. Kerr said the week after the season ended that decisions about whether to keep the roster together weren’t his to make.

“Ultimately it’s not my job; it’s really more Bob’s job to construct the roster, but the great thing about Bob and the way we’ve operated here is that we’ve always collaborated, so there will definitely be a lot of collaboration this summer on putting together the best possible roster for next year,” Kerr said.

Under Myers watch, the Warriors drafted some of their core players (Draymond Green, Jordan Poole) and retained their stars (Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry) while also making precise moves in free agency (Kevin Durant, DeMarcus Cousins) and trades (Andre Iguodala, Andrew Wiggins) to allow the Warriors to win four championships under his watch.

The results have paid off well for the Warriors and Myers. Since the start of the 2012-13 season, Golden State has won four NBA championships, set the single-season mark for wins (73 in 2015-16), won 50 or more games seven times and 65 or more games three times during that span. In winning the championship in 2015, the Warriors ended a 40-season drought between NBA titles.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich in March credited good friend Kerr and Myers for their commitment to acquiring players who want to be team-first and not just focus on individual success.

“He’s a purist in the sense that he wants all five players to play together, and that’s at both ends of the floor, understanding how it works, how the rotations work, and he’s been fantastic in being consistent in that regard,” Popovich said of Kerr. “And he and Bob have been bringing guys in that can understand that. Every player can’t play that game, they just can’t do it. But they’ve brought in guys that understand it and that will play their roles for the sake of winning, and winning big.”

The 48-year-old Myers grew up in suburban Danville, played basketball at UCLA and learned key skills on the other side of the business when he became an agent before switching careers and emerging as a top NBA executive with a personable nature who regularly attended practices to chat with players, coach Kerr and his assistants.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.