As you may have gathered, after Bob Myers resigned, former Duke Blue Devil Mike Dunleavy, currently an assistant GM, is widely seen as his natural successor.
That is an immense opportunity, but as you’ll see in the links below, it’s not going to be easy.
Building a dynasty is difficult and involves some luck. Getting Stephen Curry was really lucky. Consider first the players who were taken ahead of him. Blake Griffin was reasonable. He went to the Clippers at #1. But the next pick was Hasheem Thabeet, and Memphis surely regrets taking him at #2. James Harden has had a Hall of Fame career after OKC took him with the #3 pick. But then it’s Tyreke Evans, who eventually washed out, Ricky Rubio who has been solid but not great and then Jonny Flynn, who saw his career cut short by injuries.
Those last two picks were both by Minnesota. There were three point guards they could have picked and their last choice was Curry. How lucky do you have to be to have that happen?
There have really only been two long-term dynasties in NBA history: the Celtics and the Lakers.
After Bill Russell retired in 1969, Red Auerbach retooled and Boston got back to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1972 and won the championship again in 1974 and 1976.
The Lakers had the NBA’s first great big man in George Mikan, then built around Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. They added Wilt Chamberlain in 1968 and won the 1972 championship.
When West retired, he moved to the front office and proved to be as good a GM as Auerbach. The Lakers traded for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and added Magic Johnson in 1979. But he also drafted players like Norm Nixon, Michael Cooper and AC Green, all of whom were brilliant fits with LA’s culture.
So it’s possible, but it’s extremely rare. And the core is aging fast: Curry is 35 while Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are 33.
Like aging, there are obviously there are some things that Dunleavy couldn't possibly control. But what he could certainly strive to control is Golden State’s culture.
Boston’s post-Russell rebuild was amazing. The Celtics had one losing season, in 1969-70, and had two before Larry Bird showed up in 1979-80.
If Dunleavy gets the job, obviously the core group is in decline. Age always goes undefeated in the end.
But culture matters. Luck is obviously part of it - see Curry above, or San Antonio’s amazing history in critical lotteries - but a great culture will draw great players.
And at Duke, Dunleavy learned the value of a great culture.
- West Rumors: Warriors, Mike Dunleavy Jr., Lakers, Spurs
- Potential Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Gets Warning: ‘Good Luck’
- Former Portland prep hoops star Mike Dunleavy Jr. could be the next general manager of the Golden State Warriors
- Mike Dunleavy Jr. represents Warriors in NBA GM meetings instead of Bob Myers
- Golden State Warriors: Kirk Lacob, Mike Dunleavy Jr. among candidates to replace Bob Myers
- Bob Myers endorses Mike Dunleavy Jr. to be next Warriors president
- Mike Dunleavy Jr. Is Trending Following Bob Myers’ Departure Tuesday
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