The Survival of a Dynasty

The financial realities of giving big-money contracts:

Getty Images

Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins have agreed to a four-year, 140 million-dollar contract; Poole's signing puts the 28th pick at the top of his draft class. Just days before Poole's signing, Tyler Herro, last season's 6th man-of-the-year, agreed to a 130 million dollar, four-year deal. The extensions also vaulted the Golden State Warriors to become the most unprecedented Luxury-taxed team in the history of the NBA. Should Draymond Green opt into his player option 27.6 million-dollar contract, the Warrior's payroll will exceed the unsustainable 530 million dollar mark for the 2023/24 season.

Getty Images

Bob Myers' path to financial sanity:

Myers could wait until the following offseason for free agent Draymond Green to determine his future with the Warriors - Trade him at the deadline or trade him in the offseason should Green decide to exercise his player option in the offseason.

You get to be the General Manager for the Golden State Warriors.

As the General Manager:

#1 Green opts-in (salary 27.6 mils with the tax burden, Warriors' payroll for 2023/24 - (530 million/w Pooles' and Wiggins' extensions included).

#2 Trade Green for a Minimum Salary Player (you cut 99,665 million from projected payroll) (Warriors' 2023/24 payroll - north of 481 million)

#3 Release Green (not likely, you lose Green but still have the burden of his guaranteed salary)

*** Sign and trade: trade for a minimum-salary player. 'Use' your trade exceptions to acquire a player. That player's cap hit will be absorbed into that trade exception.

Remember that the roster must have at least 12 players and no more than 15 players.

*** Myers will approach the Warriors' cap problem with assumptions with options:

#1 cap projected to increase in 2023/24

#2 New 2024 CBA will relieve the luxury tax burden for players whose teams hold their Bird Rights (Poole, Curry, Thompson, Green, Looney, Wiseman, Kuminga, Moody, Baldwin Jr., Rollins, and Sanchez.

#3 Trade Draymond Green

#4 only roster 13 players, 15 with a Green trade exemption for the 2023/24 season.

#5 Extend Thompson (3 yrs/109 mils per/plus incentives/player option in yr 3) and Wiseman (4 yrs/60-90 mils/plus incentives on team-friendly deals.

Getty Images

The Survival of a Dynasty - Myers' path:

With the team-friendly Wiggins' contract and Poole's max deal, the salary structure for this team is faxed except for Stephen Curry. (Rookie extension can not exceed Poole's rookie extension, and veteran extensions can not exceed Wiggins’ team-friendly deal). Should owners wish to retain their developing future stars, they have no choice but to provide the tax relief Lacob and Myers will insist upon in the new CBA. Raising the cap goes hand-in-hand with the ability to retain and develop a team's future players. Seven franchises crossed the tax threshold (136.6 million) last season, with more teams soon reaching that plateau. Developing stars is essential to maintain the NBA as the best basketball brand on the planet.