Interview: Warriors’ GM Bob Myers joins KNBR for offseason update

Bob Myers joined Murph and Mac on the KNBR Morning show today to discuss the offseason, kill some time, and put some random thoughts and rumors to sleep. Fans spend the offseason talking about front office moves and rumors, and it’s always nice to hear such a prominent member of the staff address certain stories (Draymond) certain additions (KD) and talk about what he is interested in seeing (team chemistry).

I love Murph and Mac. They have been solid cheerleaders for Bay Area sports for years, and they tend to shy away from being as abrasive as other radio personalities, or even blatant homers for the teams. They soft-balled most of the quick check-in with the Warriors GM, however Myers was quick to embrace tough questions and give his form of some honest answers in his short window.

Here are some of the highlights:

• Preseason Schedule: The interview started out talking about the upcoming Preseason Schedule, which Myers stated will be key for a team with so many new pieces coming in. He addressed the heavy changes to the roster, and said even though the team is adding veterans, it will take time for the players to gel
• Will the team be ready? The coaches are up in Napa taking part in a retreat to share thoughts about how the roster will fit together. Myers says they have a lot of work to do to pick schemes, to adjust philosophy and to balance minutes with the new parts to the roster. [[Editor’s note: Is this some sort of Phil Jackson-inspired vision quest? How will Ron Adams respond to seeing God in the grape vines? I have so many questions...]]
• Expectations: I like how Myers directly addressed expectations. The franchise and coaching staff are aware that any loss, any slip, and any crack in the armor will be exaggerated by the media and fans. This Warriors team might have some of the highest expectations of a team in league history, let alone franchise history. Anything less than their performance last year could be considered a failure by the media. But the players and staff are preparing for that, and will manage their own expectations and approach accordingly.
• Steve Kerr: The radio team brought up Steve Kerr and the time he missed last season. Myers addressed Kerr’s health, saying he is still on his way back to 100% however he is looking very good. It will be a long process, but it is encouraging to hear some good news after last year’s rumors that his health problems could potentially cause him to step down.
• Olympics: Myers watched most the Olympics, and was impressed with what Coach K was able to do with such a short amount of time. While fans viewed the team as a disappointment, he viewed it as an impressive feat of what you can do with only a month to gel a team together, playing against international teams that have so much more natural chemistry. People love the Warriors because of their passing and flow, and you can’t just naturally create that; it comes with time.
• Kevin Durant: “I watched the Olympics” said Myers, “and had to remind myself ‘Wow, Kevin Durant is on our team’”. Yea Bob, we did too! He said Durant is one of those rare players like Barry Bonds or Aaron Rodgers who stands out for having more natural ability than the players around him.
• Draymond Green: The radio team asked if there was concern over a drop in Green’s confidence because of his place on the Olympic team. Myers said he is not worried at all, and in fact embraced talk about the mistakes that Green has made. He said, after talking to Green, that Draymond wishes he could have done some things differently, but that he knows better going forward. Myers said you have a guy with such passion for life and energy, and that translates on the court and sometimes off of it. The franchise stands behind him because Green, “can be communicated with. When you talk to him, he listens and he understands.” Myers said if they put a camera on him when he was in his 20’s that there would be plenty of bad things that could be shared about his lifestyle... which only makes me want to hear more Bob Myers stories... [[Editor’s Note: ME TOO!!]]

Final Thoughts

It was great to hear from the Warriors front office, and good to know they understand the challenge in front of them. I have a lot of faith in Myers. He has built this roster to its current level with a prolonged series of savvy moves, and I trust that if things start going awry this season he will correct the course. Even Myers’ questionable moves (like the Andy V re-signing, which fans complained about) will hopefully pan out. I think the front office will check out the roster during training camp and adjust course as time goes on. And, lastly, to the coaching staff up in Napa: Don’t drink too much wine and start talking yourself into anything crazy like starting JaVale over Zaza.

Listen to the whole interview here, via KNBR.