New Front Office- It’s About Time

By: Jordan Ramirez

It feels good doesn’t it?

No, it’s not an NBA Championship, but the Warriors finally have something to celebrate in an area they’ve been so lacking the past decade. For the first time in recent memory, the Warriors, the Golden State Warriors, have in place an actual, competent front office with owners willing to make moves and properly run a professional sports franchise.

It began with Chris Cohan selling the team to Joe Lacob and Peter Guber last year, it continued with the hiring of Bob Myers as assistant GM (i.e. GM in waiting), and took a surprising, but exciting turn with the recent hiring of Jerry West as a consultant to the team. While none immediately affect the on court product, all of them will affect the shameless incompetence nature of previous Warriors front offices.

The selling of the franchise immediately brought a massive culture change by the subtraction of Chris Cohan. Lacob and Guber were not household names when they bought the team, in fact, most fans were disappointed that the team was sold to them and not a certain Silicon Valley CEO. Regardless, fans still breathed a huge sigh of relief with the team no longer being operated by the plague of Cohan. Questions still remained however: Who were these guys? Were they qualified to run a quality NBA organization? What is their strategy, mindset and outlook on the team? With these recent front office moves, we may finally be getting some answers.

After Larry Riley was retained for the upcoming season, the Warriors announced the hiring of Bob Myers, a former agent for Wasserman Media Group representing the likes of Dorell Wright, Brandon Roy and DeAndre Jordan. Myers, a UCLA graduate and Bay Area native, is a well-respected basketball mind with numerous connections within the game. Officially deemed the “Assistant GM/VP of Basketball Operations,” Myers brings a young, fresh face to the front office. But beyond that, Myers is the GM in waiting for the Warriors after Larry Riley leaves. Myers’ knowledge as an agent brings a different perspective to the front office. Myers brings the knowledge that comes with player’s wants, contract negotiations and attractiveness of the product. Myers knowledge of the game and his connections within the league will all prove to be valuable assets in the future.

Larry Riley was retained, Bob Myers, the pronounced future GM was hired, enough front office moves right? Not so fast. Lacob made his biggest move yet as owner with the hiring of “The Logo” Jerry West as a consultant and Executive Board Member. If you know basketball, you know what Jerry West has done for the NBA. He not only was a Hall of Fame player but former head coach and two time NBA Executive of the Year. Jerry West is the NBA personified. While West’s title with the team is simply a “consultant”, the vast amount of knowledge about the game, players, coaches and teams will prove to be invaluable. West’s biggest moves in the front office came with the Lakers, as he traded Vlade Divac for Kobe Bryant and  then proceeded to sign free agent Shaquille O’Neal. West immediately adds credibility to a franchise so desperately seeking it.

While none of these moves give the Warriors a powerful low post scoring threat or another scorer off the bench; they all symbolize a serious changing of the guard. New ownership was the first step, but that wasn’t enough. Lacob and Guber had to establish themselves to the fans, the team and the league that they were capable of creating a successful NBA product. They retained their current GM, hired an assistant GM/GM in waiting, and brought on arguably the greatest basketball mind in NBA history. For once in what seems like an eternity, the Warriors have a solid, competent and respected front office. The first and most important step in the long process in turning this team into a winner appears complete. Now comes the hard part: using these minds in unison to create a championship worthy roster. That part is just beginning.