GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS MEDIA CONFERENCE

May 15, 2026

Mike Dunleavy

Media Conference

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Thank you for your patience the last couple of weeks. We normally get together after the season, but I think this year with Steve's situation, it made more sense just to wait to have resolution. With that, we do. We're very excited to have Steve back next year to coach and coach beyond that hopefully.

But, yeah, it was a busy couple of weeks. A lot of really good conversations, and I think ultimately we landed on what we felt was the best for the franchise moving forward. I think that was the premise of all the discussions that we had. Steve, as an active participant, knows it was a great way to go about it.

Again, really excited to have him back. I know he'll be up here later to talk to you guys and can talk more about it, but that's one thing we've got under control here this offseason.

As far as the season, haven't touched on that yet. You know, I think overall obviously pretty underwhelming, to win 37 games with the team that we had. I think we're all disappointed, but, you know, injuries played a factor into it for sure.

For me the disappointment was probably in the sense of we didn't control the things that we could have controlled are. Injuries happened. Schedule can be difficult. You have some teams on nights that just they make a bunch of threes and things happen, but there's small things we can control, starting with turnovers, that we didn't do. I thought there was some game plan stuff, being able to execute those things. Just the little things we didn't take care of over the course of 82 games, and it put us in a tough spot where we're stuck having to win two games on the road just to get in the postseason.

You know, we all feel disappointed, but I think moving forward this summer we can get better, and that will start in June with the draft, having the 11th pick and the 54th pick are two ways we can definitely add to the roster, improve, and then we'll roll into free agency and see what we can do there.

I think a big focus will be on internal improvement, and that's something we discussed with Steve. You know, he's all over it. He feels very strongly about it, and we see some things we can do to be better.

For that, you know, we're excited. It will be a little tough to start next year with a couple of our better players not ready for camp, not ready to start the season, but know, you we know that going in, and we're going it have to find a way to circle the wagons a little bit early and hang in there until those guys can get back.

But all in all, really excited to have Steve back. That's a big thing for our franchise, and we'll go from there. Happy to answer any questions you guys have.

Q. Yeah, how much of the conversation you were talking about with Steve were about the roster and what you can get done this summer, and within that, you know, do you think you can make big improvements this summer?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: So in the grand scheme of things, not a lot about the roster. This just isn't about the roster, frankly. This year I don't think we came up short because the talent on the roster. It was injuries and things we could control.

Do we need to get better roster-wise? I think so, but we didn't get to a point where we played a team where, you know, the roster is better than ours. For that reason we're more focused on the stuff that we can control.

We'll always look to be better, talent-wise, roster-wise, all that, but going back to the question, as far as the discussions weren't really about that. It was more with the team that we have, how can we be better, and what are the things we need to do to build on for long-term success?

Q. How do you expect things to change in terms of building on the things that you already have with Steve going forward?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: I think you'll sense it from Steve. Talking with him, there was a desire to come back and coach. Coaching the Warriors, coaching Steph Curry, all those things, but there was another level of desire to get this thing right.

I think sensing that was something Joe and I felt amazing about, and I think it starts with, you know, just tightening things up a little bit. We talked about the turnovers with the possession game, all those little things you can control on a nightly basis. I think we've started to do a lot of those things, but we just have to take it to a different level.

I think Steve -- we're both in agreement on that. That was something he pushed pretty hard, and I think we're capable of it. We can do it. We just have to focus on it.

Q. Mike, watching the playoffs, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, very athletic teams. How much of a priority is it to add athleticism to this roster?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: I think the top priority is to take care of the ball, limit turnovers, and then after that, we'll try and get better in every which way. We took the most threes in the league last year, so we definitely want to have as many guys as we can that can make shots.

You know, athleticism helps for sure. I mean, having two wings like Jimmy and Moses that are not going to be out -- I'm sorry -- that will be out to start the season, that's a huge hole in generally your most athletic position.

We'll always look to add athletically, length, size, skill, all those things. But, yeah, I mean, watching the playoffs, you learn a lot. You see the teams where they're at, where you need to go, and it's good to see.

Q. Mike, you obviously saw what happened to the season after Jimmy went down. Not having Jimmy and not having Moses to start the season, do you have the pieces internally to get those holes, or do you think that you need to go outside to improve those specific parts of the roster?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Yeah, I think we've got some pieces internally, but if you are looking at our roster in terms of who is back under contract, we don't have a lot of guys. Especially if you factor in Moses and Jimmy not being ready to start the season, there's only a handful of guys under contract.

So we're going to have to do some stuff, whether it's retain some of the free agents that we have, bring in some new players. But the general core of guys, though, you know, I think is very solid, and we'll look to add to it.

Q. How much do you expect? You mentioned the turnovers a few times. Do you expect with internal improvement a different style of play next year potentially?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: You know what, we can play however we want. Just don't turn the ball over. I really don't care. I think Steve would probably say the same thing, but I think it's more of you're bottom five in the league in turning the ball over. I don't think we can get to the top five in the league. That's a huge jump.

I don't want to overset expectations, but if we can get in the top half of the league turning the ball over on the offensive end, we do so many good things. We get good shots. I think we're about the right things. We do a decent job on the offensive glass, but if we can take care of the ball offensively, we'll be in pretty good shape.

Q. You mentioned the 11th pick. Pretty good chip to have in terms of improving the roster. How do you see you guys exploring using that piece, and do you like the optionality that you have with that pick?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Yeah, I mean, it's a lottery pick, and I think in a strong draft we feel like we can get a good player, so we'll look at it that way.

But we'll look at everything. If there's offers to the pick to move up, move back, trade for a veteran player that could help us, we'll definitely look at all that stuff. It's early in the process right now, and just got through with the combine.

So going through that stuff, starting to evaluate the prospects, but we feel pretty good about 11. Had some good success there before.

Q. Do you expect to go big fish hunting in the trade market, and along those lines, how do you view the futures of both Draymond with his option and Jimmy?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Yeah, I mean, I think as far as trade acquisition stuff, I mean, we're probably always in the conversation, frankly, because we have the draft capital to be. So we'll always look at stuff, whatever we can do to make the team better that makes sense now and in the future.

As far as those guys, Jimmy and Draymond, Draymond has a player option, so the ball is in his court in terms of returning. I think we have had discussions where we want him to finish his career a warrior. He kind of feels the same way I would expect him to be back, but it's his call on that.

Then Jimmy, yeah, his surgery went well. Rehab going well. Excited to get him back whenever we can as safely as possible.

Q. Mike, can you sort of describe your emotions and feelings as this played out with Steve, because it sounds like he's been pretty honest. You felt like he was leaving at some point, and the Phoenix press conference certainly we felt like it looked like he was.

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Me too.

Q. When was that like for you?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: I did not talk to Steve about it all year. Didn't ask him one time what he thought he was going to do. I thought it was just right to approach the season, get through the season the right way. He has a lot on his plate. Didn't bring it up to him one time.

But then when the season ended, took a little break, and then we got together and met a couple of times with Joe. If I'm being honest, there was plenty of nights I went to bed -- I think Steve would say the same thing -- where I thought he probably wouldn't be back as coach. But as things unfolded and we talked more and got through it, it became clear as long as he wanted to do it, it made a ton of sense for him to be back.

I think he really felt it, is excited about it, and I think we came to really good decision.

Q. Mike, the standard is the standard around here because of what you guys have built for so many years. Do you think because of the uncertainty with the roster and Jimmy and Moses and whatever else you guys decide to do this summer, that a championship next year is a realistic expectation still?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: I think it's similar to last season going into the year where you can evaluate the rosters around the league and say, look, that team is probably not a favorite, but for us to get through the season and put ourselves in the conversation.

I thought the year before we somewhat did that by acquiring Jimmy, and then we get in the series against Minnesota, Steph goes down, and you have stuff like that you just can't overcome.

This year we just never saw what we could be. Between the injuries, just the subpar play, we didn't do that. I think some of that stuff is correctible. We're obviously behind the 8-ball with no Moses and Jimmy early, so it's more about starting the season with we got to get through a certain point of the year. We need to hold it together here for a little bit.

Let's see where we go when the trade deadline comes around and into the spring. I think the last couple of years we can say we've added talent in a good way in February. Who knows where we'll be come April, March, May.

So I think it's kind of hard to say at the beginning of the season with these guys, you know, not knowing -- first of all, I don't know the team right now, and I know those two guys are going to be out. It's really hard. I think we got to build this step in steps next year.

But by the end of the year, if you have Steph Curry on your team, Steve Kerr is the coach, and Jimmy Butler is back, in a seven-game playoff series, I don't want to say we can't beat anybody.

Q. With Jimmy and Moses, do you have an at all updated timeline on their recovery as they progress in their rehab?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: No, we don't. Even now it's hard to specifically say day, week, month will be back. I know they won't be ready for training camp. They won't be ready for regular season start, but we'll see how it goes. A lot of it depends the steps they make over the next weeks and months.

Q. Then in the draft if you are selecting at 11 or otherwise, how much will you value and prioritize a prospect who is ready to contribute right away versus someone who might take a little bit longer to develop?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Yeah, I mean, I think there will be a temptation to feel like let's try and draft somebody that can step in and play right away. It's just so hard in the draft to be able to project that.

Even the last year's draft, you know, the Duke kid from Charlotte, who would have thought he would be able to come in right away and play so well. I think you get caught up a little bit, and you can get in trouble doing that.

We'll just draft who we think is going to be the best player for us with our franchise moving forward. That's what we've always done. Particularly the last few years we were pretty good about it whether it's first or second round, whatever. We're a little higher this year, but we'll take the same approach.

Q. It's a two-year deal with Steve. You mentioned he's back for this year and hopefully beyond that. I know nothing is ever for sure, but was it important to you guys to hear from Steve that he would make a two-year commitment even though obviously he could maybe not, but do you have that from him?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Yeah, I think so. I just want to leave it open to the fact that, like, you know, he considered it this year and at his age and however years he's done it, it's his call, but we fully expect him to be here at least two years and perhaps more. I mean, hopefully more I would say in the sense of he's really focused right now. You'll hear from him about getting this thing right.

It's not just a one-year swan song last dance type thing, like, hey, let's ride off into the sunset. That is 100% not what this is about. Steve will tell it to you. I'll say it. Joe would not have been good with that. Nobody wants to do that.

We got to get this thing right, and you know, we need a multi-year commitment. Steve unequivocally gave us that.

Q. At all would you term some of this -- did you guys have to convince him to come back? Was that any part of this? Was it something different than that?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: I think we all had to put our chips on the table and figure out what was right. I think we had to convince one another of what we need to do to get, and some of that was what it looks like with Steve as the coach. That's him sharing it and us asking questions.

So it was -- look, it was a great way to make a decision. I don't think it can be done in a lot of areas, but because of Steve and what he's accomplished here and the equity he has in the franchise, we could do it, but it was a very open and honest conversation.

Steve made points to why it wouldn't make sense for him to be back, which were great. Then we made points for why it made sense for him to be back, and those conversations happened over the course of a couple of weeks, multiple meetings. Again, I think we came to the right spot.

Q. Mike, was there a moment in those conversations that -- you said there were many times during the conversation that you were unsure if he was going to come back. Was there a moment or a conversation, a specific one, that you said, okay, I think we're going to get it done, and he's going to come back?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Yeah, I mean, I think it went both ways, because, look, if you can be honest about it, there's good arguments for him to be back and there's good arguments for him to move on and his own personal reasons and life to move on and do something else.

Saw both sides of it, and that's where we needed to take the time and get through it and ask the right questions, talk about the right stuff, talk about where we've been, where we're at, where we're going and, again, figure out what's right for the franchise.

Q. Mike, have you developed any sense of what's going to happen with Porzingis and Al?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Yeah, those are guys that we definitely would love to have back. They had some really good performances for this year with us. They add an element to our team that we haven't had in the past.

Al specifically with his -- you know, his size, his shooting, his leadership. KP is just a unique, unique player on both ends of the court. I think for us to have that talent back is something we want.

And so those guys -- you know, Al has an option. I think frankly his option is two-fold: One, do you want to keep playing? Two, do you want to be back with the Warriors?

Then KP is unrestricted, so we'll start having the conversations to try and get him back in the fold, but we like what we've seen from him. I think next year could be a more healthy, productive year for him.

Q. When you look beyond the aging core, meaning Steph, Jimmy, Draymond, what are the sources of optimism about the rest of the roster that you seem to have going into next season?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Yeah, I mean, I think we've got some good young players, whether it's Brandon, it's Moses, it's Gui. We've added some guys in the second round. Then we have the 11th pick this year and multiple picks in the future.

I think we're in good shape in that regard. Just we've got good players on good contracts, and I think a big part of it will be Moses getting back and getting healthy. That was a tough one for us, but overall I think, relatively speaking, we're in pretty good shape.

Q. Mike, Brandon is eligible for an extension this summer. Is resigning him or signing him to an extension a priority to you guys?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Yeah, I think it would be great. We've been through it before with restricted free agents, so we know how it goes.

I think it's one of those situations where if you want a player back, it's got to work for you and him, and hopefully we can come to a contract agreement before the start of next season. If not, have no doubt that going to the season and play it out and work it out that way.

Q. As you said earlier, you don't want it to be a one-year or last dance scenario, and Steve has also said a few times they want to end this thing the right way with Steph and Draymond. Seems like a unique balancing act where you are honoring, respecting everything Steve and Steph and Draymond have achieved, and obviously trying to take those young players and figure out a way, as you said, to get it right. How do you in your mind sort of balance the unique spot you're in?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Yeah, I mean, I think the good news on that is these guys' age is they're still playing at a high level. So it's going to end -- to be clear, it's going to end for them whenever it does in the next few years. It's not going to end for us.

The Warriors are going to go on forever, and we've got to keep pushing ahead. But for those guys, yeah, I mean, I see where Steve is talking about from his end and those guys' end. They want it to end in whatever weigh think dough. We want that to happen.

They make it easier on us by continuing to play well. So that's been fun to watch. You know, we feel good about having those guys back.

Q. (Off microphone.)

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Those are the guys that are quote, unquote, ending, so I leave it to them how they want it to be. I know having endings are always tough, but I'm not -- I don't want to get carried with what that looks like hopefully a few years from now. Hopefully it's not the end of this season, but we're at the stage of the game where it could be at any point.

I really haven't given a lot of consideration to that. I think that's probably more things for them, but for us it's to keep this thing going.

Q. You were just at the combine. You have the 11th pick, as you said. How good do you think that part of the draft is? With that pick, do you want them to be able to come in and get a lot of opportunity?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Yeah, I think it's a very strong draft. It's been talked about. You saw a third of the league tanking to get to the top, so I think that speaks for itself.

But I think there's a got a amount of depth at least through the first half of the first round, which is where we fall. I'm confident we can get a good player, and hopefully that player will have an opportunity next year to perform, produce, help us. Given the state of the injuries with Jimmy and Moses, my guess is they're going to have more of an opportunity than maybe in another year, so that will be there.

Again, the most important thing is just the long-term development, so make sure we get that right.

Q. Last year was a unique offseason where things were drawn out. Obviously players didn't sign until the start of training camp. How important is it for you to have your team set way earlier than that and have know in the building ready to go compared to last year?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Well, for my personal summer vacation plans it's very important (laughing). I don't want to -- I hope I don't have to be dealing with roster construction to the end of September, but that was a unique situation.

My guess is it probably won't happen again in that regard. We have some things to figure out, though. Draft and then obviously Draymond has his player option, and we've got some unrestricted free agents that we'd like to get back. So a busy summer, as always, and then hopefully it ends up shorter than last year.

Q. Steph has talked about his knee not being the same. His new normal after that knee thing he had this last season. How much does that affect the roster construction this summer mitigating the knee issues?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Yeah, I mean, I've tried to understand that as best as I could. I think it's important to consider. My understanding is we expect him to have a year next year where that knee, we'll manage it, but it's not something we're worried about.

At his age, given what's happened, you have to think that way, but it's not something I probably need to think more about his actual age than I do the knee. I guess that's the way I'm thinking about it.

Q. Steph said he is interested in talking about an extension. He's eligible for an extension obviously. Would you be pretty sure that you're going to be offering him an extension this offseason?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Yeah, that day will come, but I think we've always stated we want Steph to finish his career here, be here for as long as he wants. I'm sure those conversations can happen, and you can predict where they'll be going. Yeah, I don't see under any scenario where we don't want to figure out a way to have hem finish here.