Steve Kerr hopes Bob Myers returns to Warriors amid rumored career indecision
Why Kerr hopes Myers returns to Dubs amid career crossroads originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Steve Kerr hopes Bob Myers, the Warriors' president of basketball operations and general manager, remains in the Bay Area.
During his exit interview Tuesday, Kerr discussed Myers' impact on the players in and around the Warriors organization and what his loss would mean for the franchise.
"Bob is such an important part of our organization, not only as one of the faces of the organization, out there in the NBA world meeting with other executives and agents and representing us in that regard, but also with his relationships with our players," Kerr explained. "He's got such credibility with our guys."
Kerr adds that Myers' familiarity with the Warriors' veterans provides "continuity," which allows the latter to have difficult conversations with Golden State's players at any time.
Case in point, Myers showed his ability to connect with players in the Warriors' comeback win over the New Orleans Pelicans on March 30.
A frustrated Draymond Green exchanged words with various members of the Warriors coaching staff, prompting Myers to come down from his seat and speak with Green behind the bench, calming down the Warriors' fiery leader.
Most recently in the Warriors' Game 6 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals, Myers stopped Green from re-entering the blowout, explaining to the 33-year-old that if he were to make his calf injury worse, Green would have spent his summer very differently.
"He said, 'We're down 22 points with six minutes to go. You go back out there and you tear your calf and do rehab the rest of the summer trying to chase a 22-point lead. It's not smart, and we're not doing it,' " Green shared with reporters after the loss. "I could've went back in the game, and I think that's a good sign."
It's clear to Kerr and the rest of the Warriors organization just how important Myers is to Golden State, which is why Kerr hopes he returns.
"Bob and I have a great friendship, a great working relationship, and I absolutely hope he comes back," Kerr continued. "But it's also a case where I want what's best for Bob, and if he decides that he's going to leave, of course, I'm going to support him 100 percent, and we will remain friends for a long time.
"I would miss him, but I support him regardless of what he does."
At the conclusion of the Warriors' 2022-23 NBA season, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Myers was "torn" regarding whether to return to Golden State or pursue other opportunities.
It's important to note that Myers' contract expires at the end of June and if he decided to move on, his replacement reportedly would come from within the organization, per The Athletic's Shams Charania and Anthony Slater.
RELATED: Report: Myers 'torn' on decision about his Warriors future
Regardless of what Myers decides, it's clear that his impact on the Warriors' players and the organization as a whole is far-reaching and apparent, especially considering Golden State's success over the last decade.
And if Kerr were to have his way, Myers would be a fixture in the Warriors' front office for a long time.
