Mike Dunleavy Jr. says Warriors ‘really want’ Draymond Green back
SAN FRANCISCO — Mike Dunleavy Jr. is getting thrown into the fire as he takes on a new role as general manager.
The Golden State Warriors are amid a pivotal offseason that has already seen the departure of executive Bob Myers and Draymond Green declining his player option.
The NBA draft is four days away. Free agency follows closely after that.
But atop Dunleavy’s to-do list this summer is bringing back Green, who declined his $27.6 million player option Monday morning and will enter unrestricted free agency, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
“We really want Draymond back,” Dunleavy said at his introductory news conference Monday. “What he means in terms of this organization and this team, winning at the highest level, we feel like we have to have him.
It was expected Green would opt out; now he can talk with the Warriors as well as explore sign-and-trades and free agency.
“We will continue to talk to Golden State and explore all options,” Paul told ESPN.
After the Warriors were eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the playoffs, Green told Andscape’s Marc Spears that Myers’ decision — whether he returned as president and general manager or left — would carry some weight on his contract decision. Though, it wouldn’t be the only deciding factor.
Green acknowledged the unique relationship Myers held with players, as well as head coach Steve Kerr, and how very few league executives carry that trait. It’s something Dunleavy will now try to take over.
“Did I interview other people? No, not really. We didn’t go outside,” Warriors owner and CEO Joe Lacob said on the hiring of Dunleavy. “We believe in continuity. We believe we have a really well-oiled machine, a well-running organization. Mike gets along fabulously with all the parties inside.”
When it comes to roster construction or reconstruction, Dunleavy said he doesn’t believe there are many decisions to make, but rather “things to consider.”
Second to finding a new deal for Green is adding some “connectivity.”
“The rest of the roster going on down the line is a group that probably needs to be better about playing together and connecting, so that’s something we’ll look to solve for this offseason,” Dunleavy said. “By the way, that’s not only externally, that’s internally through working together and doing all that stuff.”
He continued: “You look at the championship team with the Nuggets. Those guys were dialed in together. [In] 2022, that’s how we were. We can get back to that feel, that standpoint, I think, given our talent, that’s going to give us a chance to compete for a title.”
Much of the disconnection throughout the Warriors last season stemmed from the training camp altercation between Green and Jordan Poole, which Kerr called at the time the franchise’s biggest crisis during his tenure, and later said left a cloud over the season.
Green admitted that the altercation impacted his ability to be the vocal, and sometimes abrasive, leader who has energized Golden State in the past. He said he felt this prevented the team from being able to perform at its full capabilities.
But as the Warriors fight to find a new contract for Green, there is a strong belief that all parties would be able to move forward and have both Green and Poole on the team next season.
“We plan on having [Poole] four more years at least,” Dunleavy said.
If the Warriors do look externally to address their needs, their first crack at bringing in new personnel will be at Thursday’s draft.
There is a question of if the Warriors would want to bring in another young player while they still try to figure out the development plans of Poole, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, in addition to 2022 draft picks Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Ryan Rollins.
But that’s something Dunleavy said the team would take stock of after the draft. After that, the Warriors will look to free agency to retool the roster.
In addition to Green, Donte DiVincenzo has a $4.7 million player option he must either pick up or decline by June 28. JaMychal Green and Andre Iguodala are both unrestricted free agents, though Iguodala said last season would be his last.
Anthony Lamb and two-way players Ty Jerome and Lester Quinones are restricted free agents.
“I think a lot can be made of all the challenges that are coming our way, whether it be an aging roster, the new CBA with some of the limitations there, anything else you can bring up,” Dunleavy said. “We’re aware of all those things, but we also feel like we’re in a great place because we’ve got a competitive owner willing to spend, a group that’s tied in, has good synergy, good processes, good, sound decision-making. We feel confident we can navigate it.”