So far this offseason, the Warriors have not made any surprising moves. The big question now is whether general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. will change that before the weekend. The team is facing two important deadlines. The first is Chris Paul’s contract guarantee date, which is Friday. The second is the start of the new league year on July 1, which brings new rules on spending and trading.
If the Warriors want to make a significant move this offseason, they need to act quickly. Time is running out, and they have only hours, not days, to make a bold decision. Whatever move they make will require Dunleavy to show some creativity. The question is, does he have what it takes?
Dunleavy’s predecessor, Bob Myers, was a great general manager who led the Warriors to championships. However, he was not known for making bold, creative trades. While creativity is not a requirement for success, it can make a big difference, especially for a team like the Warriors that is at a crossroads.
Dunleavy has made some moves, like trading Jordan Poole for Chris Paul, but nothing groundbreaking yet. His other moves have been relatively small and not very noteworthy. To make a real impact, he will need to come up with something bold and innovative.
One option for Dunleavy is to take a straightforward approach: waive Paul, sign Thompson to a new contract, and fill out the roster with exception contracts. This could make the team competitive next season, but it’s not a game-changing move.
If the Warriors are serious about bringing in a player like Paul George, they will need to act before July 1 when trading restrictions come into play. Pulling off a move like that would require real genius and creativity. It’s a tough task, but the team’s future success may depend on it.
In the end, Dunleavy will need to show whether he has what it takes to make the Warriors contenders in the years to come. Time is running out, and all eyes are on him to see if he can rise to the challenge.