GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS MEDIA CONFERENCE

December 16, 2024

Mike Dunleavy

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: We'll go ahead and turn it over to Mike, if you want to just start with an opening comment or something, and we'll just open it up to questions after that.

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Yeah, thanks. Appreciate you guys doing this. Tricky schedule. I'm traveling the next couple days for scouting, and then we'll be with the team in Memphis. I know everybody wants comments and thoughts before then. So we'll get it knocked out now.

But we're excited about the trade. First and foremost, appreciate Reece and De'Anthony, their contributions, although short, I think they were worthwhile and we really liked having those guys around.

But you know, in this business, you've got to give something up to get something and we feel good about what we've acquired with Dennis. I think at this time it's a much-needed addition. After evaluating the team, kind of the first 24, 25 games of the season, and clearly with the De'Anthony injury, it became apparent that we needed it shore up our backcourt. And Dennis is one of the guys and probably the best guy that's out there that's available to some degree.

Really fortunate to be able to get him. We're excited about it. We think it complements our team both offensively and defensively. You know, his ball handling, I think he's going to help Steph, Brandon and particularly when Steph is not on the court, we think his ability to play pick-and-roll, create offense, get us into stuff, just that added dimension offensively will give us a boost, which is just something we need.

We feel on the defensive end, his ability to pressure the ball, he's pretty good off the ball, as well, for a guard-size player. Fits in with everything we're trying to do.

So this became a pretty clear target for us over the last week or so, as players freed up to be traded, and we were able to get something done with Brooklyn over this past weekend finalized.

Feel great about it and excited to hit the ground running here with Dennis.

Q. How beneficial is it to get it done now with so much time still left in the season so you can have him, but also until the trade deadline?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Yeah, it's huge. I mean, it's hard to get deals done in this league period but then this early in the season is tough. You need to motivated parties. I think we had that with us in Brooklyn, just evaluating the team.

And this loss of De'Anthony was huge and to be able to kind of shore that up and remedy that to some degree was really important, and felt like it was something we couldn't wait on till February. And again, with Dennis being somewhat available, clearly us making the deal, he was. We wanted to go and go ahead and do that immediately.

Q. This could be seen as an indictment on what Brandon hasn't done so far in his season. Where are you on how this move impacts Brandon and just generally how he's playing?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Yeah, I think this move for both him and Steph is something we view as additive and helps him.

Brandon was really, really good last year and I think part of it was considering Steph and CP, two other handlers alongside him. I think this move enables Brandon and Steph to always be on the court with another handler, whether it's the two of them, or Dennis and Brandon, or Dennis and Steph.

I think it makes a lot of sense, and again, I think something that boosts and helps Brandon. We feel good about it in that regard as well.

Q. There was a lot of talk last night about how Dennis doesn't really play the style of basketball that the Warriors have typically played over the years. How much do you want and know your team to change the way approach the game with this addition?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Well, I mean, the play style stuff, rotations, all that is on Steve. We've talked about it thoroughly, though. I think he's open and aware to some of the strengths Dennis has and what he can bring to the table. It's no secret we need to improve offensively and sometimes making some shifts in what you're doing and philosophically is the right way to go about things.

So we'll see how that unfolds. But yeah know who Dennis is as a player and we know what we are requiring, and yeah, in order to play to his strengths, we may have to shift some things.

Q. How aggressive do you still hand to be in the next, whatever, seven weeks prior to the deadline?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Yeah, I think we are always aggressive. You know, you've got to be mindful of what you're giving up what you're giving back, all those things.

But anything to do to make the team better were going to do. We are in a time zone here of maximizing our window with Steph and Draymond and Steve as our coach, as proven on the first day where we can basically make trades with certain players, we did that, and we'll continue to look at things.

For the most part I feel about this team, particularly on the defensive end and now we added a player that we think can create and generate more offense for us. I want to evaluate and see, but we are always looking at stuff.

Q. When it comes to evaluating guys and you just talked about Podziemski. What about Kuminga? Looks like you're really willing to take a longer look and see how he fits in and what he can do in the starting lineup. How do you view that, as far as moving forward and evaluating this team?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Yeah, I think it's all part of it. You know, with our young players, you know, like Brandon and JK, as you mentioned, taking a look, a lot of it is just matchups, rotations, who they are playing with, what role they are in, those types of things.

So we are looking at all those things, all the while trying to win every possible game. That's the tricky thing.

I think those guys are coming along well. There's certainly some areas that they can improve at, but on the whole, you know, we're good with where they are at. I think we need to see some improvement from everyone, not just those two guys.

Q. Trade obviously opens up a two-way spot. Is there a timetable where you're looking to fill that? The G-League Showcase is coming up.

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Yeah, we're working through that. Yeah, definitely a spot open that we're looking to fill and can fill. Don't have any timing on it. You know, I think it will be sooner than later.

Q. How vocal were Steph and Draymond, particularly Steph, in getting this shooter deal done this quick?

MIKE DUNLEAVY: To be clear, those guys are not banging down my door, calling me, "Hey, we've got to make a trade. We need this guy. We need that guy." They never do that.

Do I keep them in the loop on stuff? Yes. Were they double thumbs up on this move? Yes. But I don't want to see it like those guys are hemming and hawing over, hey, we need to add this guy or that guy.

It's a good, clean process with them. They are on board. Steve is on board. Coaches, organizationally, I think everybody felt really good with this deal and we went through with it.

Q. Maybe it's a little early, but have you thought how he might fit long term? Part of the appeal is it's short term and a pretty clean deal, but he has Early Bird rights now.

MIKE DUNLEAVY: Yeah, no doubt, any time you're giving things up, in this case we gave up some draft capital, I don't think you intend it to be a short-term thing.

At Dennis's age, we still think he's got a lot of good years left in him and we'll still is have his Bird rights and ability to resign him after the season.

Again, study and look at it and we think he's a good fit for us on both sides of the court, and hopefully there's a relationship here longer than just a few months.