Myers, other execs receive promotions
With the start of training camp a week away, the Warriors announced a slew of front-office promotions Tuesday.
General manager Bob Myers added president of basketball operations to his job title. Travis Schlenk was named vice president of basketball operations/assistant general manager, Kirk Lacob was tabbed as vice president of GSW Sports Ventures/assistant general manager and Larry Harris was named assistant general manager/director of player personnel.
Myers, who is entering his fifth season as Golden State’s GM, will have an adjusted role. As president of basketball operations, he will oversee the entire day-to-day happenings of the basketball-operations department and report directly to owner Joe Lacob.
The architect behind perhaps the most loaded roster in NBA history, Myers has helped guide the Warriors to a 238-90 record (.726 winning percentage) over his four-year tenure. It is the best such stretch in franchise history and the second-best mark in the NBA during that time, behind San Antonio’s .738. Myers was named the 2014-15 NBA Executive of the Year for constructing a team that won a thenfranchise-record 67 regularseason games and an NBA title.
Schlenk, who is entering his 13th season with Golden State, will assist in the management of all day-to-day basketball operations — including all player-related matters — in his new role as vice president of basketball operations. He will continue to be assistant general manager, a job he has held for the past five seasons.
Kirk Lacob, who is entering his seventh season with the Warriors, will be in charge of the franchise’s new sports ventures — including ongoing efforts to develop partnerships for basketball operations — in his new role as vice president of GSW Sports Ventures. He will continue to serve as assistant general manager, a position he has had for the past four seasons.
Harris, who is entering his ninth season with Golden State, will serve as one of the organization’s main talent evaluators in his new role as assistant general manager/ director of player personnel. He will assess pro and college prospects in helping the team prepare for the NBA draft, free agency and trades. Before being promoted to director of player personnel last season, Harris spent six seasons as a basketball consultant/scout for the Warriors.
Other staff promotions Tuesday included Nick U’Ren to director of coaching operations/special assistant to the head coach, Jonnie West to director of player programs, Nanea McGuigan to director of basketball administration/ player programs, Chelsea Lane to head of physical performance and sports medicine, Drew Yoder to head athletic trainer, Roger Sancho to assistant trainer, James Laughlin to video coordinator and Sammy Gelfand to manager of basketball analytics.
Golden State opens training camp Tuesday in advance of its first preseason game Oct. 1 against the Raptors in Vancouver, British Columbia. Fresh off the addition of seven-time All Star Kevin Durant, the Warriors are strong favorites to reach their third straight NBA Finals.