The Golden State Warriors have a new general manager. As Mike Dunleavy Jr. embarks on a pivotal offseason already marked by significant changes, Steve Kerr seems fully confident in his team's new lead basketball decision-maker.
“Everybody’s excited,” Kerr said of Dunleavy taking the reins from Bob Myers, per Madeline Kenney of Bay Area News Group. “I’m really excited to work with Mike. There’s a lot of trust, and over the last three years, we’ve had a lot of work together and that matters. So we have a foundation that’s built already, we trust each other and we’re going to work really well together.”
Those comments echo the sentiment Kerr expressed last month as Myers mulled whether to return to the Warriors. Pointing to his life spent around the league, perspective as a former player and conversations they've shared about the team in recent years, Kerr told Tim Kawakami of The Athletic that Dunleavy is “someone I really trust.”
Dunleavy was promoted from scout to vice president of basketball operations in 2021, three years after joining Golden State at Myers' urging. The 42-year-old was a near-constant at Myers' side ever since, developing strong relationships with the Warriors' core and even representing the team at league meetings and prospect workouts leading up to the 2023 NBA Draft.
Myers' departure isn't Golden State's only significant loss before the offseason gets into full swing. Assistant Jama Mahlalela, broadly viewed as one of the best up-and-coming coaches in basketball, returned to the Toronto Raptors on Thursday to join Darko Rajakovic's staff after spending the last two seasons as the Warriors' director of player development.
Dunleavy, executive vice president of basketball operations Kirk Lacob and Golden State's rebuilt front office have many tough decisions to make this summer, beginning with Thursday's NBA draft. As trade rumors swirl, pre-draft workouts continue and free agency looms, Dub Nation can at least take solace in the value of continuity afforded by Dunleavy's promotion—not to mention Kerr's unbridled confidence in his team's new GM.