"There’s not a guy that I think is better" - Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy on Draymond's DPOY chances, 'Playoff Jimmy' and more (Exclusive)
Despite the Golden State Warriors mostly validating why he acquired Jimmy Butler before the trade deadline, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy declined to predict the team’s NBA title fortunes.
Dunleavy sounded more definitive about a different development for when the No. 7 Warriors (48-34) face the No. 2 Houston Rockets (52-30) in a first-round playoff matchup beginning on Sunday. The topic involved fourth-year forward Jonathan Kuminga and how he handled an up-and-down season that has included a fluid role and even some healthy scratches since the Butler trade.
“I think he’ll definitely have a role in this series and provide a boost for us,” Dunleavy told Sportskeeda.
It remains to been how many minutes Warriors coach Steve Kerr will grant Kuminga after not playing in the team’s Play-in win over the Memphis Grizzlies and sitting in overtime in the Warriors’ regular-season-finale loss to the LA Clippers.
Still, Kerr talks frequently with Dunleavy both on personnel decisions and rotations since the Warriors promoted Dunleavy from vice president of basketball operations to general manager after Bob Myers stepped down two years ago and later accepted an ESPN analyst role.
Those talks became frequent this past year. Last summer, the Warriors weighed potential moves for Paul George or Lauri Markkanen last summer before prioritizing roster depth and continuity. They also talked frequently before and after the Warriors acquired Butler from the Miami Heat.
“He’s got a really good way of challenging me and the job I’m doing and supporting me at the same time,” Kerr said. “That is kind of the perfect dynamic from a boss. That’s what you want. You want to be the best version of yourself. But you don’t want to feel threatened. You want to feel like you’re in a collaboration. That’s what it feels like with Mike. He’s really sharp, knows the game and knows the league, knows our team and he’s done an incredible job since he's been here drafting, free agency and creating the dynamics that allowed us to go get Jimmy with the work that he did in free agency last year. I think he’s been just brilliant. I love working with him.”
Dunleavy spoke to Sportskeeda about his dynamic with Kerr and what the strong chemistry between Butler and Stephen Curry could look like in the playoffs. Dunleavy also made his case for why Draymond Green should win his second Defensive Player of the Year award this season and impressions of Kuminga’s season.
Dunleavy: “I think we feel good about our team. But I think anytime you head into the playoffs, you want to have confidence. I don’t know about comfort. We’re playing a really formidable opponent against Houston, and the second-best team in the West. They’ve had a great year. So I don’t know if there is anything comfortable about that. But we’re confident. We like our group. We feel like if we play well, we have a chance to win.”
Editor’s note: The following one-on-one conversation has been edited and posted.
Warriors’ GM Mike Dunleavy Exclusive
After the Butler trade, Draymond said that you will win a championship. What do you think of that?
Dunleavy: “I love the confidence and belief. That’s what we’re looking for. If making a trade helps with that, especially from a guy like Draymond, it matters. But we got to go out and get the job done. It’s a long journey starting this weekend with Game 1.”
The reason for Draymond’s confidence is probably obvious. You all have Steph, Jimmy, Draymond and championship experience. But what will be the key in making sure that’s enough against Houston and potentially beyond?
Dunleavy: “I think it ends up being the small things. We have three highly experienced players that have been in the postseason and have thrived in the postseason. So I think believing that we can do it is there. It’s just executing. It’s taking care of the ball. It’s following the game plan defensively. It’s all of those little things that allow you to win basketball games in the postseason. If we do that, we’ll have a chance.”
The Jimmy trade has obviously been incredibly impactful. Looking back on the move, what developments aligned with your expectations and what developments have been pleasant surprises?
Dunleavy: “At the time, we recognized that we needed a little boost both on the court and spiritually. Jimmy has brought that, for sure. He has raised the level of our play. But to the credit of the other guys on the team with Steph, Draymond, Brandin [Podziemski], [Moses] Moody, [Quinten] Post, a lot of these guys have stepped up as well.
It’s worked. I think considering when the trade was made, we were the 11th seed and we have moved up and are in the playoffs. It has gone well. But there is a little bit of unfinished business here. On the whole, I really thought this move would help our team now and moving forward. We’ve certainly done that. We have to keep it that way.”
What did you envision what the Steph/Jimmy dynamic would look like, and how has that played out so far?
Dunleavy: “Although being quite different players, they complement each other really well. Jimmy’s understanding and feel for the game has enabled him to fit in pretty quickly and connect with Steph. And Steph’s outside prowess and Jimmy’s inside prowess and the ability to get to the free-throw line, draw contact, get fouled and make plays for others is a really nice combination. Heading into the playoffs, we feel good about having those two guys. They’re elite offensive players. They do it in different ways. But they’re highly effective.”
Jimmy’s got the ‘Playoff Jimmy’ nickname for a reason. But given who Houston is and what the Warriors’ makeup is, what do you envision what ‘Playoff Jimmy’ will look like?
Dunleavy: “Well, we’ve all seen it. We certainly got a taste of it with this Play-in game thus far. He’s a guy that when the lights are brighter, he steps up. Houston is going to present a really big challenge. They’re a terrific defensive team. They have a lot of guys that can guard. So it’s not going to be easy. But we believe in the guys we have.”
Knowing that dynamic Steph has with Butler, what do you anticipate Steph Curry’s postseason will look like compared to other postseasons?
Curry: “The beauty of Steph still at this age at 37, the possibilities are limitless. That’s the fun of it. That’s why everybody watches. He’s capable of anything. That’s why you tune in. I don’t want to make any predictions or suggestions on what may happen. I want to watch, observe and enjoy.”
What’s your case for Draymond winning Defensive Player of the Year when considering the rest of the field?
Dunleavy: “I think it’s incredible for him at this age to do what he’s able to do and affect our team and our defense so much. When he’s on the court, we’re an elite team. Since the trade deadline, we’ve been the No. 1 defensive team in the league. He’s really picked it up this latter part of the year. From my standpoint, watching the game and playing it and being around it for a long time, there’s not a guy that I think is a better defender than Draymond to have out on the court when you need to get a stop. Whether that’s on the ball, at the rim or any type of action, he's as good as it gets. He’s shown that throughout his career. But he’s still at that level now, which is remarkable.”
What’s your favorite defensive performance of his this season?
Dunleavy: “Honestly, it’s plays that he makes. It’s winning plays when it matters on the defensive end. How he can make that block or steal without picking up a foul and it’s against Giannis [Antetokounmpo], LeBron [James] or whoever. He’s doing it against the guys in the biggest moments. It’s really, really impressive. Steph obviously gets a ton of credit and accolades for all that he’s done. Same thing with Draymond on the defensive end in the course of his career. It’s been equally impressive.”
Shifting over to Kuminga, how would you evaluate his growth and his next steps?
Dunleavy: “I think JK has made nice steps through the course of his career. He’s still young. Obviously, this year has been a little up and down. I think the thing that hurt him the most was getting injured and being out of the rotation, especially when we made this trade as our team evolved. Getting back into the rotation was somewhat of a challenge. But I think what’s ahead of us is exciting both as a team and for him. The playoffs are big. I think he’s going to have an opportunity. So we’ll see how it goes.”
What impact do you expect him to make against Houston?
Dunleavy: “They present some stuff athletically and physically that he can match. He’s got that type of size and athleticism on the defensive end to defend and rebound. And then on the offensive end, he’s able to finish, score and get to the basket. Those are things he can counteract with what they’re doing. So I think he’ll definitely have a role in this series and provide a boost for us.”
Obviously, every player wants to play as much as they can. But what have been your impressions on how he’s handled the fluidity with his minutes, whether it’s significant roles or DNPs?
Dunleavy: “He’s been good about it. JK has been a pro. I think that’s a part about learning in this league and growing. I commend him for that. He’s handled that really well. He’s been supportive of the team. I think he knows deep down that his opportunity will still come. So he’s staying ready. I think when that opportunity comes, he’ll take advantage of it.”
I asked Steve what the collaboration has been like with you through the stages with weighing potential moves last summer and leading into and after the Jimmy Butler trade. He said, ‘he’s got a really good way of challenging me and the job I’m doing and supporting me at the same time.’ How do you try to approach those two different things?
Dunleavy: “I think the biggest thing for me, first and foremost, is that Steve and I have a really good relationship. We got a great partnership. We do this together. He’s been in my shoes before as a general manager. So that really helps. He can see things from my side.
I think growing up around the game and having my Dad coach, I think I can see some things from a coaching standpoint, whether there are challenges or things that you want to do. So I think we see both sides of our situations well and we’re able to connect and talk through things. We almost always end up aligned on the same page. It makes for a really good partnership. As a first-time general manager and trying to learn this stuff, it’s incredibly helpful and supportive for me to have a coach like Steve Kerr and a guy that has been in these shoes. It’s been really productive and good.”
What was the collaboration with him, Steph and Draymond leading into the Butler trade?
Dunleavy: “It was a lot of conversations and talk about what things would look like, how it helps our team and how it affects our team and what it does for us. It was open and honest conversations. There is trust on both sides and there’s a common goal. ‘If we want to accomplish this, then this is what we need to do.’ Those are what the conversations are like. It’s fun to bounce things off those guys and get their feedback. They are coming from a different perspective than me. But we all have a common goal. We’re trying to get the same thing. But it’s good to hear those guys out.”
You obviously knew Jimmy well. But hearing their perspective on that, was there anything in particular that made an impression on you and crystalized that you should make the deal?
Dunleavy: “I think just asking everybody the question, ‘What do you want out of this season and with things moving forward? That is to get to the postseason and have a chance to compete at the highest level. And this is what we should do.’ That was sort of my recommendation to everybody that we need this kind of change. Once they saw it that way and said, ‘If that’s what we think this can do, then let’s do it.’ I think it became clear and obvious to everyone that it’s the right move.”
You alluded that there’s been a lot of contributions on the team. Looking at this upcoming series, what roles outside of Steph, Jimmy and Draymond do you expect them to play?
Dunleavy: “The exciting part outside of those guys is if they keep doing what they’re doing, they’re really going to help us win. They’ve gotten into a stretch where we feel like we’ve been playing playoff basketball for a month now just trying to get into the postseason. These guys have had to play the roles they need to support Steph, Jimmy and Draymond and are doing it really well. If these guys just keep doing what they’re going to do, we feel really good about our chances. I think at times we can get a little sideways with trying to do too much and all that. But I think everybody knows their role and what they’re capable of, and how they can help.”
Mark Medina is an NBA insider for Sportskeeda. Follow him on X, Blue Sky, Instagram, Facebook and Threads.