Here is a link to my column on the Warriors’ non-draft. The full text runs below.

OAKLAND — The Warriors did nothing on Thursday night. That means they whiffed on the NBA draft — that exercise in loud talking you watched on ESPN.

Why did the Warriors have no picks?

They had a first-round pick, but surrendered it a year ago in the Andre Iguodala multi-team, hold-your-nose trade. They had a second-rounder but gave it up to get Nemanja Nedovic in the 2013 draft. So far, Nedovic has been irrelevant, but you never know about the future.

The result? The Warriors were spectators while other teams drafted. I, too, was a spectator at the Warriors’ headquarters. I watched the TV broadcast and ate some good Mexican food and drank a tub of Diet Pepsi all provided by the Warriors.

But here’s the deal. I am here to praise the Warriors, not to bury them. If you’re looking for criticism, you won’t find it here.

Think of it this way. In years past, if the Warriors didn’t have a single draft choice, you would have thought they loused things up yet again, were unprepared as usual. You would have seen no picks as proof the Warriors were a crummy organization. And you

would have been right.

Things are totally different now. These aren’t your former Golden State Warriors. So, don’t despair. In point of fact, the Warriors are in a great position. They can retain the team that won 51 games last season. Or they can go after Kevin Love. For all we know, they still are in the conversation for Love, a superstar.

Understand, they have a good team that will get better. Or they may get Love, and then they’d be even better. So their quietness on Thursday night means nothing.

And there’s something else. Free agency begins July 1. After July 1, the Warriors will have money to spend on free agents. Don’t ask me to explain where that money comes from. That’s math and math gives me a headache. Trust me the Warriors will have some dough.

And then there’s the Joe Lacob Factor. Don’t underestimate it or him. Lacob may have been quiet on Thursday, but he is not a quiescent man. He doesn’t like to do nothing. He is lethal in business. He is the dorsal fin you see in the shallow water from the beach. People shriek. The beach clears.

He competes. When you think he won’t make a move, he makes a move.

He outbid Larry Ellison for the Warriors. That was bold, not to mention unexpected. He wanted to move the Warriors to San Francisco. He will move the Warriors to San Francisco.

He tried to get Dwight Howard. He tried to get DeAndre Jordan. He wanted Iguodala and he got Iguodala. He traded popular Monte Ellis for Andrew Bogut.

He wanted to dump Mark Jackson. He dumped Mark Jackson. Didn’t care about the backlash that came from cutting loose a winning, culture-changing coach. He wanted Steve Kerr and he got Steve Kerr. Wasn’t intimidated that Phil Jackson wanted Kerr. Got Kerr in spite of Jackson.

Three years in a row, he bought or traded for extra draft picks.

Which means he goes after things. Often he gets things. He is motivated to the max.

And you’re telling me Kevin Love is out there and Lacob won’t make a serious run for him? Come on.

I’m saying the draft came and went, and so what. It seems unbelievable, unrealistic that Lacob and the Warriors are done dealing. I’m saying the Warriors are almost surely still in the hunt for Love. I’m saying time is on the Warriors’ side.

The Love drama could drag into next season. The longer it drags on, the more antsy the Minnesota Timberwolves will get. Love could leave as a free agent after next season. The Wolves could end up with nothing in return. At some point, The Wolves could get desperate. At some point, the Warriors would have the leverage and the control. If you are so inclined, you could interpret the Warriors’ draft-night silence — no Love deal, no any kind of deal — as patience, as strength, as super confidence. Why not?

When the draft was over, such as it was for the Warriors, general manager Bob Myers came to the media room with a shy smile on his face. He seemed embarrassed even to be there. The Warriors hadn’t done anything. What was there to say?

“We were prepared to do a lot of different things,” he confessed. “Without a pick and no money to spend our options were somewhat limited.”

You think?

“We’re pretty good at making your guys’ lives exciting,” he said, “but we couldn’t do it tonight.”

One reporter asked if anything is pending.

“As I sit here tonight, there’s nothing in the hopper for us.”

Is there an update on a Kevin Love trade?

“Next question.”

Could Myers elaborate?

“I don’t have anything to add to what I said last week. I said then things were unlikely to change. I’ll say that now.”

Do the Warriors need to make a big deal?

“When you look at our roster, we like it. We think it has the capability to do well as it has in the past. We think we’ve got a lot of high ceilings, if you look at our roster. So clearly, as evidenced by the draft, by standing pat, I think it does show faith in our current construction of our roster. Free agency is around the corner. That’s another opportunity to improve our team.”

All interesting stuff from Bob Myers. Note to Bob: It’s nice to have faith in your current roster. A little upgrading couldn’t hurt. I’m just saying.

 

(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today)