5 worst decisions of Bob Myers' tenure as Golden State Warriors' GM ft. Jordan Poole's $128 million extension
Bob Myers' tenure as the General Manager of the Golden State Warriors has had its fair share of ups and downs. With four NBA titles and a dynasty that is only now getting to its final legs, the Warriors enjoyed considerable success during a longer-than-decade tenure.
At the same time, he was also heavily criticized for a number of decisions, with some of them still having various effects on the organization. In this article, we look at five of the worst decisions that were taken during Bob Myers’ tenure as general manager, which began back in April 2012 and ended in May 2023.
5 worst decisions of Bob Myers’ Golden State Warriors GM tenure
#5, Taking Jacob Evans in the 2018 NBA draft
Jacon Evans was the 28th overall pick of the 2018 NBA draft and is a high draft pick that did not pan out. He was selected despite several other potential stars being still being available, including the likes of Jalen Brunson, Gary Trent Jr., Bruce Brown, Jarred Vanderbilt, Mitchell Robinson, De’Anthony Melton, Jevon Carter, and Devonte Graham.
Brunson, in particular, has recently established himself as an All-Star level player who the Warriors could have used in the current season. On the other hand, Evans played a total of 57 games for Golden State over three seasons, failed to establish himself as a starter, and is now plying his trade at the Minnesota Timberwolves.
#4, Drafting Moses Moody over Trey Murphy III
Another questionable move that is bound to affect the franchise both in the present and the future, is the Warriors taking Moses Moody with the 14th pick in the 2021 draft. This was despite the availability of Trey Murphy III. Now 23, Trey Murphy has established himself at the New Orleans Pelicans and had a breakout campaign last season.
On the other hand, Moses Moody has still not got going for Golden State. The player has two years over Murphy III and is still only 21, but has largely failed to impress with the limited game time he has received thus far. That is partly down to the way the Warriors’ season has gone, which means that only the future will determine whether this move ends up being positive for the franchise.
#3, Picking James Wiseman at #2
Arguably one of the biggest mistakes of recent NBA drafts, the Warriors used the second overall pick in 2020 to select center James Wiseman. While the decision was made due to the outlined need for a dominant center to further the Warriors’ title ambitions, it did not pan out well.
Golden State lost out on players such as LaMelo Ball and Tyrese Haliburton, two of the most impressive youngsters in the NBA currently. Furthermore, Wiseman’s time at the franchise was short-lived, as he currently is in the middle of a tumultuous season with the Detroit Pistons.
#2, Giving up draft picks for Kelly Oubre Jr.
The fact that Kelly Oubre Jr. lasted for only one season with the team suggests that the franchise would not have used too many resources to acquire him. However, in what was a sketchy move, Golden State gave up a top-20 protected first-round pick.
While Oubre Jr. did decently, he was never the perfect fit and proved to be an inconsistent shooter. Rather than the player’s fault, the move in itself proved to be a result of Klay Thompson’s injury. Oubre Jr. lasted at the franchise for one season before being shipped off to the Charlotte Hornets.
#1, The Jordan Poole extension
While Poole had shown considerable potential during his four years at the Warriors, he still did not deserve a $128 million extension. Jordan Poole finished fourth for the Most Improved Player award in the 2021-22 season, and was a potential contender for the 6th Man of the Year award, but had still not shown enough to warrant a starter deal.
While there was little doubt concerning Poole’s fit with the Warriors, further controversies, including an altercation with Draymond Green, meant that he eventually had to be traded. Poole has since become one of the most trolled players in the NBA, owing to defensive deficiencies and focus-related issues, and proved to be a big waste of money for the franchise.