Warriors & # 39; Bob Myers talks about the release of Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Angelo Russell | Bleacher's report

Golden State Warriors General Manager Bob Myers spoke with the media on Monday and touched on topics ranging from the sign-exchange that brought Angelo Russell to the Bay Area in the United States. . injury status on Klay Thompson and the Kevin's loss during this off season.

On Russell, Myers noted that he had acquired the All-Star with the intention of keeping it despite rumors that Russell could be turned down as a commercial asset during the season:

He also told reporters that he was considering going to Thompson in Los Angeles while the sniper was recovering from an ACL operation. Rusty Simmons of San Francisco Chronicle.

And finally, he said he was sad to see Durant leave the organization this summer:

Myers noted that the break was amicable but difficult despite everything.

"To be honest, I was a little sad," he said. "Because I love [Durant]. The other thing is that I like basketball. And so, watching it play was a treat for me. Just to watch it train. To watch it do exercise. … I will miss it. I'll do it, just as a basketball fan, because guys like him do not come too often. His skills, his abilities are so unique. "

In the frantic race of the off season, the Warriors have become a forgotten team. Everyone seemed to be concentrating on loading the two Los Angeles teams, Russell WestbrookOut of Oklahoma City to join James Harden in Houston and the large number of teams that seem to have legitimate title chances this year.

This is partly because of Thompson's laceration of ACL and the uncertainty that reigns in his return and how he will behave after such a serious injury. There is no doubt that the Warriors would be one of the favorites of the title if Thompson started the 2019-20 season in good health.

But the Russell crisis is the other major issue. The backs of Russell and Curry should work on the offensive back given the ability of both players to operate out of the ball if necessary. In particular, Curry should have no trouble playing the ball regularly, allowing him to run through the screens and be open like a shooter.

The warriors added Durant 's isolation ability to their smooth offensive. Head coach Steve Kerr will also find a way to integrate Russell's skills into the pick-and-roll.

The defensive end will be the biggest problem. The Warriors were an excellent defensive team in the three-time conquest and five consecutive NBA finals, in part because they could hide Curry from weaker offensive players in the playoffs, while Thompson mastered the dangerous threats behind the scenes. But Russell is also a weak defender, which means that opposing guards will not get much resistance.

And even when Thompson returns, will the Warriors start the three Curry, Russell and Thompson? It is hard to imagine one of these players leaving the bench, but defense problems in this backcourt will persist with the three players in the starting lineup.

Add all this and it's not difficult to understand why Russell is a player who could be shopped before the February trading deadline. This does not mean that adding Russell was a bad choice.

"I do not know how it's going to go, but they have something in return that has value that they can trade down the line," said a general manager. Ethan Strauss from The Athletic to the Las Vegas Summer League.

Durant's departure may have been sad for Myers and the Warriors, but losing it in return would have been devastating.