Being a general manager in the NBA is tough.
When you think about it, the money isn’t worth the headaches you get from late nights on the phone battling 29 other GMs for the best deal possible. It’s not worth the number crunching to navigate a handicapping CBA. It’s not worth dealing with and trying to soothe multiple personalities and egos.
Doing that for a fading dynasty is a task and a grind that’s for the bravest or craziest of souls.
Golden State Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. has my sympathy. I do not envy his position at all.
It’s fun to crank up the trade machines, concoct trades, post them on social media and flex your creativity; that’s the easy part. Dunleavy’s reality is the toughest and most complex of all 30 teams.
The on-court product has been mediocre. Entering Thursday’s game with the Bulls, Golden State is 21-22 on the season and in 11th place in the Western Conference after a surprising 12-3 start to the season. On the books, Dunleavy is working with, according to Spotrac, a payroll $58.9 million over the salary cap, a first-apron limit of only $330,409, a roster full of cap holds at $22.7 million and a luxury tax bill of $15.1 million. Dunleavy also doesn’t have the complete autonomy to thrive and to do his job. The only thing he has in his favor is the grace and space of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Warriors head coach Steve Kerr.
Speaking of those three, Dunleavy owes them a shot at one more run and he knows it.
I understand Dunleavy’s circumstances. I understand their books and understand why they want to be prudent. However, after missing the playoffs three times in a five-year span, Dunleavy and the Warriors’ front office cannot be passive and inactive during this deadline.
PLAYOFFS? WHY NOT?
The Warriors might not be bonafide contenders but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t at least get to the playoffs. With the scorching exception of the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Western Conference is a mosaic of mid. The Warriors are right in the mix so why not give them a sliver of a chance to compete this year?
Tanking isn’t a sensible option. As they fluctuate around .500, the Warriors aren’t bad enough to ‘capture the (Cooper) Flagg’ Their probability of getting a high lottery draft pick is at 6% at best. Judging from their track record of past picks, can you really in confidence trust the front office to make the right pick anyway? They are three games back of the No. 5 seed and there is plenty of basketball left to be played. Making the right moves at the deadline can change the trajectory of the season.
Golden State is ranked 20th in defensive rating (points per 100 possessions) and 12th in offensive rating. Even a smart marginal move could help the Warriors’ cause for this season and probably the next.
ABOUT THE FUTURE
The two-timeline concept sounded good on paper. The Warriors’ brass wanted to extend franchise success post-Curry. Understandable. However, the concept in actuality was an abject failure.
Compounding mistakes in talent evaluation, picks and management of expiring contracts is how they got to this point. One of their pressing issues in the offseason is what to do with Jonathan Kuminga. He’s reportedly asking for $35 million, and the Warriors will have to decide if the fourth-year forward is worth the money. Kuminga and the Warriors couldn’t reach a deal on an extension earlier in the season, making him a restricted free agent after the season.
Kuminga has turned himself into a solid downhill threat who can get a bucket. He’s also adapting to the offense as a playmaker. However, it might not be enough to warrant $35 million.
Brandin Podziemski is a hustler. He’s a connector who does all the little things but could the Warriors say that he is untouchable? Can they say the same about Trayce Jackson-Davis?
I know Warriors owner Joe Lacob wants these guys to succeed and be successors but there’s a need for a reset. Even if the Warriors give up a first-round pick for a guy who could help this team now, it wouldn’t cripple and compromise the Warriors’ ability to rebuild. Thinking about the future is well-meaning but as long as Curry is on the roster, you maximize the present.
OPTIONS
Marginal moves that will fit the needs of this team are not too much to ask. Golden State needs either a true second scoring option or a stretch five. The Warriors have been linked to Chicago’s Nikola Vucevic and they should make an aggressive push for him. Vucevic’s scoring and offensive fit would be nearly seamless for the Warriors. Vucevic is shooting nearly 40% from deep and can score inside. My concern with Vucevic is his defense.
An alternative choice for a stretch 5 is the Pacers’ Myles Turner.
While Turner can unlock different lineups and can score enough to keep defenses honest, he’s a better defender than Vucevic and has a cheaper contract – one that is expiring. With no viable options for a second scorer to take the load off of Curry, getting either Vucevic or Turner will help alleviate the scoring burden and with lineup versatility.
Chicago Bulls guard Coby White is another possibility. If trade rumors around him are true, White could be a solid option at the two for the Warriors. White is averaging 18.2 points per game and is shooting a respectable 36.4 percent from 3. White is also versatile: He can play either on the ball or off the ball and is a willing passer. White’s athleticism would be a plus to the Warriors, as would his ability to get to the rim.
Granted, no one trade is going to completely fix things but that’s no excuse. These moves can at least get this middling team to a low playoff spot and give Curry and Green something to play for and the team something to build on for next year. The popular thought is that the Warriors need and are looking for a superstar, but what superstar would want to come to a team that’s been middling and stale for the bulk of the past five years? To attract stars, you have to sell them on the vision of the team. If the Warriors are hunting for stars in the offseason via trades, they need good players under contract.
There is a pathway to acquire. It doesn’t hurt the Warriors to move off a first-rounder and some expiring deals. They can’t afford to not use their expiring contracts again after not getting anything in return for Chris Paul.
Being a GM during this time of the season is hard and for teams, seeking trades, it’s even harder. Dunleavy isn’t in the best of spots. However, he has to at least try. Standing pat and explaining why moves weren’t made isn’t a viable option anymore.