Warriors president, GM departing
Over 11 seasons, Myers built franchise that won four NBA titles
SAN FRANCISCO — Bob Myers can no longer put all of his energy into running the Golden State Warriors, and that’s why he is ready to walk away as one of the most successful professional sports executives ever.
“This is tough, this is hard. I have so many different things, emotions that I’m still processing,” Myers said, fighting tears in making his announcement Tuesday. “But the bottom line is this job, the one I’m in, I would say this for any professional general manager or coach, requires complete engagement, complete effort, 1000%. If you can’t do it, then you shouldn’t do it. That’s the answer to the question of why.
“... It doesn’t feel right to do something when I can’t give it everything, and that’s what it takes to do what we’ve done over the last 12 years.”
Myers is departing as Golden State’s president of basketball operations and general manager after building a championship team that captured four titles in an eight-year span and reached five straight NBA Finals from 2015-19. He shared his decision with owner Joe Lacob on Tuesday morning.
Yet basketball is and always will be in Myers’ blood and the thrill of competition so ingrained in him, he’s certainly not done in the business — even if he isn’t quite sure what’s next. He knows there will be an enormous void on game day and every other day in between.
He will miss Stephen Curry’s warmup routine, his close friendship with coach Steve Kerr and all the special playoff runs they shared together, noting, “I’m proud of what I did and proud of what we did.”
One of the most successful GMs over the past decade in any sport, Myers’ contract expires June 30 and there has been speculation for months about his future, given the sides had yet to reach agreement on an extension or a new deal. Myers added about his decision, “This wasn’t about money, just want to make that clear, it’s not about money, I make plenty of money, I got offered plenty of money.”
The 48-year-old Myers grew up in suburban Danville going to Warriors games for his birthday, 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. He did so with a personable nature and regularly attending practices to chat with players, staff, Kerr and his assistants.
Lacob acted on a tip from Danny Ainge to consider the unproven Myers and after interviewing other candidates over months, Lacob realized how much he really liked Myers despite his inexperience. Myers then spent a year as assistant GM under Larry Riley before being promoted a year later.
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.
“He’s a fantastic coach, he’s an all-time, top, Hall of Fame coach,” Myers said. “You can go through a whole life and not meet people like that not make friendships like that. It’s super rare, most GMs and coaches don’t like each other, and I can see why. It’s pretty set up to fail.”
After becoming GM in 2012, Myers constructed the roster that won the 2015 championship for the franchise’s first title in 40 years. A father of three daughters, perhaps he will become a fan again, something he said is far easier than doing his job.
“This team is in great shape,” Myers said, “great shape.”