Getty Golden State Warriors wing Jordan Poole reacts during Game 5 of the 2022 NBA Finals.
Bob Myers has seen a lot during his time as chief decision-maker of the Golden State Warriors, and also dating back to his time as an agent. But the financial pickle he faces now amid an unprecedented luxury tax situation and multiple ballers seeking max or near-max extensions is uncharted territory.
“We have not had this specific situation,” Myers said during his recent media availability. “We have won the most games early in the season and we were the worst team in the league. We’ve seen a lot, even myself, and even prior to that. But I don’t know that we have been here exactly.”
Luckily, Myers and his brain trust have some time to figure out most of these deals. However, they’re on a fairly tight deadline with Jordan Poole, who’s seeking a bag after exploding to the tune of 18.5 PPG, 4.0 APG and 3.4 RPG last season.
As of this writing, the team has just over three weeks to come to terms with the 23-year-old. But it appears as though a plan is in place to potentially get something done.
Myers Talks Timeline for Poole Extension Talks
Given the aforementioned deadline, Myers was pressed for more information regarding Poole’s extension talks. The Warriors president responded by sharing the tenative plan for finally digging into negotiations with the baller’s people.
“We are going to meet with his representatives I think after Tokyo and sit down for the first time and start having that conversation, and I think that’s about two weeks out from the deadline for him,” Myers said.
Myers is, of course, referring to the team’s pre-season series with the Washington Wizards, which begins with a game on Friday, September 30 at Saitama Super Arena in the Japanese capital. The two teams will play a second game at the same venue the following night before returning home to the Bay.
Myers knows that he’ll be digging in on contract talks at that point; he’s less certain about how they’ll unfold, though.
“Where that will go, I don’t know. I know that they want to meet and I know we want to meet, and then we’ll see what the next two weeks give us.”
Myers Confident That Players, Team Have Mutual Goal
Contract negotiations can be an intense process, and the Warriors’ tax crunch will undoubtedly inform their dicussions with Poole, as well as Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. That said, Myers believes that there’s at least one thing working in everyone’s favor.
Namely, a mutual desire to get something done and stay in the business of winning championships.
“The good news for us is I don’t hear anybody that wants to leave. That would be a worse problem if they said, ‘I don’t want to be here, I’m out of here at the end of the year,’ or ‘I don’t want to be here, trade me.’ I don’t hear any of that. The goal will be to do the best we can.”
Whether “the best we can” means the team’s foundational six will continue on unscathed remains to be seen.