As the Golden State Warriors embark on a new era after team president and general manager Bob Myers announced he was stepping down Tuesday afternoon, there's already a potential name that could replace him. During Myers' press conference on Tuesday he talked positively about the possibility of Mike Dunleavy Jr. taking over for him.
Dunleavy is currently the vice president of basketball operations for the Warriors, a position he's held for two years, and has been in the front office for the Warriors for the past five seasons.
"He's really good, he'd be a fantastic choice," Myers said of Dunleavy potentially taking over in his role.
While team owner Joe Lacob didn't specify any names when asked about filling the void left behind by Myers, he did note that the team will most likely look to promote from within rather than look outside for the role.
"We have a lot of people that are really good at their jobs, and that we're constantly training for situations like this," Lacob said. "Bob has trained some great people in this organization, and I think they'll play a great role going forward. I'm not going to say what we're doing yet because I don't know what we're doing yet. It's not going to be something that we rush into...we'll make the right decision for the organization and hopefully move forward."
Dunleavy's name was floated around earlier this month shortly after the Warriors lost in the second round of the playoffs to the Los Angeles Lakers. His responsibility has reportedly grown in the last two seasons since becoming vice president, per The Athletic, and he's viewed as the "natural successor" to Myers' position.
Dunleavy previously spent 15 years playing in the NBA, with four of those years being with the Warriors. He was originally hired by Golden State as a scout and has worked his way up the front office ladder since then. If he's the one chosen to take over for Myers, he'll immediately be tasked with some major decisions, including the looming player option of Draymond Green and a potential contract extension for Klay Thompson this summer.
On top of that, whoever fills Myers shoes will have to figure out a way to improve this roster while navigating a new CBA that is expected to make things difficult for high-spending teams like the Warriors.
