Warriors president and chief operating officer Rick Welts will step away from his role with the franchise at the end of the 2020/21 season, he and the team announced today in a press release. The news was first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Welts, who worked for the SuperSonics, the Suns, and the NBA league office before arriving in Golden State, oversaw the organization’s business operations while Bob Myers served as the president of basketball operations. A Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, Welts became the highest-ranking executive in men’s professional team sports to publicly acknowledge he was gay when he did so in 2011.
“Simply put, Rick Welts played a transformational role in creating the modern NBA during his more than 40 years as a pioneering league and team executive,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “His extraordinary vision, leadership and humanity have defined his Hall of Fame career, which has set the standard of excellence in the sports industry. I had the tremendous good fortune to learn about the business of the NBA and its teams directly from Rick in my early years at the league office and have always appreciated his friendship and generosity.”
The plan is for Welts to remain with the Warriors in an advisory role. The club expects to name a new president within the next week or so.
Here’s more out of Golden State:
- The Warriors announced today that they’re on track to begin welcoming fans back to Chase Center on April 23. They’ll be able to fill the arena up to 35% of its total capacity for the final nine home games of the season.
- Anthony Slater and Sam Vecenie of The Athletic teamed up to break down a handful of draft options for a Warriors squad that could end up with two lottery picks in 2021. Slater and Vecenie wonder if Golden State might prioritize players who can contribute right away, assuming the team doesn’t trade away one or both picks. The Athletic’s duo identifies Davion Mitchell and Corey Kispert as a couple lottery prospects who might fit that bill.
- In case you missed it, the Warriors are getting back up to the required minimum of 14 players (not counting two-ways) by signing Gary Payton II to a 10-day contract.
No point in sticking around with a re-building team like Golden State.
Remember when the Rockets won no titles with Harden and traded him for KELLY OLYNK? You are forever owned, son.
How insane are you going to go when GSW rights the ship a week before the playoffs and wins it from like the 10th seed, AND gets the #4 and #13 picks in the loaded draft, that the Rockets won’t even pick 2 in the top 15 from?
They finally figured out to PNR with Wiseman, all bets are off. No rebuilding when they “acquire” Klay Thompson next year. Win and get the picks. Prepare to cry…
You 2 are so boring
Will you cry too when GSW miraculously rides Steph Curry the GOAT (who is a better player than Wall and Wood combined) to the title from the 10th seed AND gets the Wolves #4 pick?
No.
I would come hear and congratulate Curry and say I was wrong about Kerr preseason and move along my day….. you know, normal people shizz
Normal people shizz? Here????
Marty have you ever considered the fact that most of us outside Harden MVP don’t care either way about the Warriors and are just reacting to how you tend to overreact a bit?
@Black Ace57 I dont understand what your point is?
I don’t overreact at all, in fact I underreact, compared to twitter.
Marty, GS is not winning another championship for a while. Hell, Houston might win another before GS.
Steven you are in for a terrible, terrible shock.
Klay comes back next year. Kerr finally understands Wiseman. Plus picks in next years loaded draft that has many NBA-ready stars available, and trades for elite players, not to mention Kawhi available in free agency. GSW should be viewed as frontrunners for next season (health permitting of course). If you can’t see that GSW would have the best record in the league right now if Klay was there, I don’t know what to tell you.
Houston will never win another title again, unless its the cheating Astros, cheating some more (theyre doing it again this year btw, shhh)
Lol once baseball comes into the conversation you know he is just trolling for attention.
Marty, instead of celebrating the legacy of a deserving member of your favorite organization, you turn the conversation towards mocking the Rockets. Maybe you’re just a bandwagon guy after all.
I for one just want to say I applaud you Rick Welts. Best of luck in your future endeavors.
They need offensive help if they want to make the 8th seed, but if they fall short, then they can make the play-in tourney. It’s tough as a fan b/c you can’t see them except for the last nine games.
(Sigh)
I am so tired of this version of the USA. Can we jump to another one?