Is Warriors’ run just getting started?
GM Myers expresses optimism they’ll retain their four All-Stars, coach Kerr
OAKLAND >> In the same time it takes most to earn a bachelor’s degree, the Warriors accomplished a few things in four years.
They collected three NBA championships. They have sparked comparisons to previous NBA dynasties of the Boston Celtics in the 1960’s, the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980’s and the Chicago Bulls in the 1990’s. They have caused such envy around the league that many want to emulate them and a few even charge their success hurts the NBA.
To the delight of Warriors fans attending the championship parade today and to the dismay of all their opponents, the Warriors’ run might not end any time soon. Not with the Warriors boasting four healthy AllStars in 30-year-old Stephen Curry, 29-year-old Kevin Durant, 28-year-old Klay
Thompson and 28-year-old Draymond Green, whose blend of outside shooting (Curry, Thompson), prolific scoring (Curry, Thompson, Durant) and defensive toughness (Green) all complement each other in an organization that values synergy and selflessness.
Is the Warriors’ dynasty just getting started?
“It’s hard to say that because it started four years ago and four years is an eternity in the NBA. But what’s exciting is there is the realization and thought that we’re young enough where we can keep competing in the next few years,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “We hope to do so. But we’re also aware of how difficult this is and there’s also a chance we never even get this far again. But we have a chance.”
The Warriors have a chance mainly because of they have four dependable All-Stars to build around, and the team wants to ensure that core remains intact.
Consider the stance of Warriors general manager Bob Myers, who will basically ask Durant both to write his terms and then sign on the dotted line when he plans to opt out of his player option to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
“Whatever he wants,” Myers said, laughing. “Sometimes you don’t negotiate.”
Durant and his business partner, Rich Kleiman, have repeatedly said he will resign with the Warriors after winning two NBA championships and two Finals
MVPs since joining the team two years ago.
It is not clear, however, if Durant will sign a one-year deal as he did in the 2016 offseason, or if he will seek a multi-year deal. Last summer, Durant took a nearly $10 million paycut so the Warriors could retain veterans Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston while also acquiring Nick Young.
“I’d love to have him for 10 years. But, Kevin Durant, look at what he did last year for us. He did us a great service,” Myers said. “He’s earned the right to sign whatever deal he wants. I just want him to sign a deal. I want him to be happy and want him to know we want him as long as he wants to be here. He’s earned that to lay out the terms.”
Therefore, Myers predicted “that shouldn’t be a long negotiation.”
Not that this should be surprising. Durant has said since the middle of this season that he would stay with the Warriors.
“Maybe I’m naive, but I never felt like he was leaving,” Myers said. “I got asked that question a lot because he was surprised. I thought he was happy. I’m glad he said that. We want him to be happy. But I felt validation. It’s good. I think he’s enjoyed his time here. It’s been great for us and great for him. Hopefully we can keep it going.”
The Warriors would like to have talks with Thompson and Green this summer and sign them for an extension, even though Myers conceded nothing is “imminent.” Thompson, who is set to make nearly $19 million in the 2018-19 season, will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. Green has a twoyear contract worth around $36 million that expires in the 2020 offseason.
In related news, the Warriors will move to Chase Center in Mission Bay for the 2019-20 season, and they would like to keep their star players for a long time in their new home.
“You want to keep that group together. But I have no idea how that’ll play out,” Myers said. “It’s a lot of different conversations that will take place. If that’s something we want to get into, I’m sure we’ll have those.”
Thompson and Green would like to re-sign with the Warriors and will listen to any of the team’s efforts to sign them to extensions. They are mindful, after all, that the Warriors’ winning atmosphere and team-oriented culture remains distinguishable. Yet, they do not appear in a rush to sign a extension given the financial benefits they could receive as free agents.
If nothing else, do not expect the Warriors to ink a
new deal with Thompson before July. He plans to take a 10-day trip to China beginning on June 22 as part of his endorsement with Anta, a Chinese shoe company.
One extension expected soon is a deal for Kerr.
“We’ll get that done pretty quickly,” Kerr said. “I don’t think there will be much to it. It should happen relatively quickly.”
The Warriors front office and Kerr both had revealed in October their plan to have talks next offseason about extending his contract that currently expires following the 2018-19 season.
“Whenever he wants to start. We’ll figure it out,” Myers said about Kerr. “I think the nice thing is we developed a camaraderie and we feel like he wants to be here. We want him here. We’ll work it out. If it happens later, it won’t be because it was put to the side. It was because organically it didn’t happen. But it’s going to happen. We can start whenever we want and however he feels comfortable beginning.”
With the Warriors hoping to lock up their All-Stars and Kerr soon, Kerr sounded determined to keep writing the team’s legacy.
“We’re still young enough where we can still compete. We’re going to keep going for it,” Kerr said.