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Bob Myers stepping down as Warriors GM after 4 NBA titles, 11 seasons: 'I can't give it everything'

callie lawson-freeman
Contributing writer
·4 min read

Bob Myers is stepping down from his role as the Golden State Warriors president and general manager, the team announced Tuesday.

Myers joined the Warriors’ front office in 2011. He is credited as an architect of the Warriors' dynasty after playing a pivotal executive role as the team won four championships during his tenure.

"You can't make it to a day like this anymore without everyone knowing what you're going to say," the 48-year-old said at news conference Tuesday. The news of his milestone decision was broken by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, who reported Myers felt it was "just time" to move on.

Addressing the media, Myers went on to explain what led to the "tough" decision, saying the job requires complete effort, something he's unable to maintain going forward.

"I've only known how to do things one way my whole life," he said. "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, for me, 12 years."

With Myers' exit, Warriors team owner Joe Lacob said he doesn't know who will fill his shoes. According to Wojnarowski, he is expected to seek a more prominent role for executive vice president of basketball operations Kirk Lacob, who is also his son. Vice president of basketball operations Mike Dunleavy Jr. is also someone to watch, according to the report.

Myers' contract expires in late June, and Lacob told reporters he hopes to see the general manager work until the end of it. His exit comes after a January report from The Athletic, which said his future with the Warriors was uncertain. At the time, the Warriors faced and continue to grapple with rising salaries, increased luxury tax issues and uncertainty for veteran players.

The added front-office question mark with Myers was a result of friction surrounding his salary and the "two-timeline plan," according to the report. Lacob had reportedly become “more involved than ever” in attempting to simultaneously win with the veterans while developing the franchise’s newcomers. That plan conflicted with focusing solely on winning championships during the next few seasons.

On Tuesday, Myers seemingly denied part of that report. "This wasn't about money, I just want to make that clear," he said.

He was reportedly weighing his professional options during the winter and he's still unsure, he told the media on Tuesday, His résumé would make him an attractive addition to any ownership group or front office. But, he could also move on from the league entirely. He’s had a successful career and recently launched a podcast with Warriors star Stephen Curry as his first guest.

The two-time NBA Executive of the Year is responsible for signing Curry to two supermax contracts and most recently secured Jordan Poole’s extension. He was also behind the deals with Andre Iguodala, Kevin Durant and Andrew Wiggins, all crucial players in chapters of Golden State’s success over the past eight seasons.

Myers is known to have close relationships with Curry, veteran Draymond Green and head coach Steve Kerr. Those connections made him an asset amid team conflict. This season, however, the strain was too much for Myers to rectify. Green and Kerr admitted that Green punching Poole hindered the Warriors' season, which ended at the hands of LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals.

With Myers' exit guaranteed, Golden State's offseason will likely feature a pivot. Green, Klay Thompson, Jonathan Kuminga and even Kerr's futures are reportedly still in the balance.