Warriors’ brass brace for chaotic 6week stretch
During especially chaotic stretches of the NBA calendar, Warriors general manager Bob Myers is prone to what he calls “work benders.”
In the past, when orchestrating complex trades or salarycap maneuvers, Myers often worked at his office into the early morning and returned home only to catch a few hours of sleep. But the coronavirus pandemic has brought at least one positive, allowing him to slog through his work in the comforts of his San Francisco house.
With just six weeks until the start of the NBA season, Myers is poised to bunker down in his home office for perhaps the most frenzied period of his Warriors tenure. Fresh off a leagueworst 1550 record, Golden State must make a series of decisions in rapid succession that could determine whether it vaults back into contention, using its No. 2 pick in next Wednesday’s draft before it can begin signing free agents Nov. 20 and opens training camp Dec. 1.
Making matters trickier for Myers is the fact that the pandemic has brought unprecedented obstacles in talent evaluation. In midMarch, the NCAA canceled its basketball tournaments, eliminating the chance for scouts to see how draft prospects look on the March Madness stage.
Given that only some NBA hopefuls participated in the league’s virtual combine last month, the Warriors contacted agents to track down many players’ updated measurements and medical information. In recent weeks, Golden State officials crisscrossed the country to work out prospects and, in some cases, take them to dinner.
Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman, Isaac Okoro, LaMelo Ball, Deni Avdija and Tyrese Haliburton are among the players with whom the Warriors have met in person. By next week’s draft, Myers exWarriors’
66, depending on the weather. Can’t someone track him down and measure him? What is he, Bigfoot?
If not Edwards, maybe center James Wiseman, who played five minutes in college at Memphis and is another mysterious Bigfoot.
Better warm up your Ouija board, fellas.
What I would do: Keep the pick. Home cooking is always the best. Go Wiseman. Pray.
Giants
Buster Posey is the big decision here. Assuming he decides to opt in for whatever season Major League Baseball can patch together, the Giants must decide what to do with their cornerstone of the past decade.
Will Buster Ballgame accept a move a round role, a combo of catching, DHing ( if the DH stays) and first base? If he wants to catch, and there’s no sign to the contrary, he won’t like it if Joey Bart is handed the job fulltime.
There’s no certainty that Bart will even make the team, but if he does, the catcher spot gets crowded.
Posey, who opted out of last season over coronavirus concerns, isn’t the force he was in his prime, but at a stillyoung 33 and further recovered ( one hopes) from his hip problems, he could be someone the Giants can’t afford to lose or alienate.
A wrong call on Posey would cost the Giants in the shortterm and in the long run. They’re an organization on the brink, they would be damaged by botching a decision on their most giant Giant since Barry Bonds.
What I would do: Tell Posey he’s the fulltime catcher for 2021 unless he shows he can’t produce with the bat.
49ers
The secret is out: It’s all about the quarterback.
If the 49ers are considering keeping Jimmy Garoppolo, they need to see more of him in action. Right now, I think they have their doubts, but he could change their minds with a few big games down the stretch.
The big decision, really, is Kyle Shanahan’s. His system has used a classic pocket quarterback, but the times, they are achangin’. Can Shanahan afford to get left behind as other teams move from the Brady Roethlisberger Brees era and into the Wilson Mahomes Jackson era?
The 49ers are sitting on offensive dynamite in the form of George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Raheem Mostert and Brandon Aiyuk. The fuse to that package will be the quarterback, and the 49ers can’t afford a dud.
What I would do: Move into the future ASAP, go newschool. You can’t outcoach a Patrick Mahomes or a Russell Wilson.
A’s
What a transition season this will be.
The A’s might lose Billy Beane, their longtime mastermind, but a fellow who just can’t overcome the lower payroll handicap.
The A’s face decisions on key players, especially freeagent shortstop Marcus Semien, whom they declined to give an $ 18.9 million qualifying offer.
But all decisions are dependent upon the biggest one: whether to build a ballpark pr onto, sell the team to someone who will, or consigny ourselves to low budget swimming against the tide forever.
In the past, the A’s used “no ballpark” as an excuse to unload excellent and popular players. That won’t cut it anymore. Owner John Fisher and team President Dave Kaval can’t buy any more time by blaming forces beyond their control for no new ballpark.
What I would do: Sell the team, to a person or group who will build a ballpark and fund a competitive payroll.