HoopsHype.com Rumors

-Q: I know you addressed this a little at shoot-around, but Larry Riley did mention that it might be time to look to the future. Do you not like hearing that? -MARK JACKSON: I have no time for that. Really, the front office’s job is to look towards the future. So Larry making that statement, whether it’s Larry, Bob or Joe or anybody else, the job is to look towards the future, prepare us to be effective down the road. My job is to handle the business today. I let my guys know, I have no time to think about a lottery pick or anything that doesn’t have anything to do with right now. Our goal is to be a playoff basketball team, continue to get better and put ourselves in position to be the team that we hope to be. San Jose Mercury-News

Golden State Warriors, Mark Jackson, Larry Riley 

Many Warriors fans already have given up on this season and started looking toward building for the future. Warriors general manager Larry Riley has not reached that stage. But he's getting closer. "That'll be a decision we will make pretty soon here, probably in the next week or so," Riley said in a phone interview Sunday. "But we have a little more time to look at things." Riley said the next week, starting with Monday's home game against the Los Angeles Clippers, is crucial. Golden State, which has lost three straight, needs to start showing some results. San Jose Mercury-News

Golden State Warriors, Trade, Larry Riley 

If the Warriors don't turn things around quickly, Golden State will be forced to turn its attention away from the playoffs and to developing the young talent. That probably means more time for rookie swingman Klay Thompson and even more minutes for second-year big man Ekpe Udoh. Maybe even rookie big man Jeremy Tyler gets into the rotation. It could also mean Riley will turn his attention to the trade deadline and potentially revamping the roster. Riley said he's not quite ready to start looking toward the future. "But the clock is ticking," Riley said. "No question." San Jose Mercury-News

Golden State Warriors, Trade, Larry Riley 

In some ways, Riley and the Warriors could actually find some form of vindication in Lin. After all, the Warriors are the ones who signed him. The Warriors also get some credit for developing Lin. They spent a year working with him. They sent him to the NBA Development League, where he got much-needed game experience. "It wasn't a publicity stunt," Riley said. "We saw a young man with some real intelligence and skill, but we knew he needed to get better. We gave him a guaranteed contract that first year, which people thought was crazy." Contra Costa Times

Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, Larry Riley, Jeremy Lin 

So Lin's success is perhaps a nod to the Warriors' ability to spot and develop talent. Of course, the problem here, in the mind of many Warriors fans, is the inability to keep that talent. "We had a player," Riley said. "We let him go to go after another player and we didn't get him. We have to face up to that. Contra Costa Times

Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, Larry Riley, Jeremy Lin 

Warriors general manager Larry Riley and Orlando Magic general manager Otis Smith met on Thursday afternoon over lunch in downtown Oakland, and there is little doubt the names of Howard and Stephen Curry came up. CSNBayArea.com

Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic, Trade, Dwight Howard, Larry Riley, Otis Smith, Stephen Curry 

Riley confirmed the lunch before the Warriors-Magic game on Thursday night, and said it’s not unusual for him to meet with or grab a bite to eat with executives from other teams. “I have a few commitments before the game and I wasn’t sure I’d get to talk to him for more than two or three minutes,” Riley said. “So, I figured this would be a way to have a longer conversation.” CSNBayArea.com

Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic, Trade, Dwight Howard, Larry Riley, Otis Smith, Stephen Curry 

The best chip the Warriors have in any potential trade talks involving Howard is point guard Stephen Curry. But Curry has been plagued by ankle issues this season, and there is uncertainty about his long-term future. It is highly unlikely that Smith -- or an NBA general manager, for that matter -- would trade for Curry until and unless there is resolution on that ankle. CSNBayArea.com

Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic, Trade, Dwight Howard, Larry Riley, Otis Smith, Stephen Curry 

Byrnes: What's your guys' status when it comes to finding a new home? Riley: That's basically up to ownership, and they've let it be known that they're looking to construct a new facility. I don't know exactly where it will be. I'm more concerned with putting the team together. The big thing is, no doubt it's going to stay in the Bay Area; it's not going anywhere in that regard. But I have to turn that one over to Joe Lacob and Peter (Guber) and Rick Welts, and the guys who make those decisions, and I'll just go play wherever they tell us to play. San Francisco Chronicle

Golden State Warriors, Larry Riley, Joe Lacob 

Reggie Williams called Warriors GM Larry Riley moments after signing with the Bobcats to thank him for getting the chance over the last two seasons to showcase his 3-point shooting prowess. New York Post

Charlotte Bobcats, Golden State Warriors, Larry Riley, Reggie Williams 

General manager Larry Riley said the front office considered saving the amnesty and doing a deal with Brown from the start. Owner Joe Lacob, however, wanted to set a new tone for the franchise of being aggressive during the free-agency period. "Our philosophy is to get the best players we can get," Riley said. "Let's always take a shot at making this a really good team. We're going to get there at some point, but why stretch it out if you don't have to? "There might be some value two years from now or three years from now about amnestying somebody else, but I'm not willing to sit here and do nothing so I can wait three years to use an amnesty. We looked at all of that, but we made the decision to go the other way, because we want to get after it and make this team better sooner rather than later." San Francisco Chronicle

Golden State Warriors, Free Agency, Larry Riley, Joe Lacob 

Marcus Thompson: GM Larry Riley said he doesn't consider DeAndre Jordan a huge risk & they're comfortable would like to play for @Warriors Twitter

Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Free Agency, Larry Riley, DeAndre Jordan 

Rusty Simmons: Steph Curry said he got assurances from GM Larry Riley and coach Mark Jackson that he's "safe and secure" here. Twitter

Golden State Warriors, Trade, Mark Jackson, Larry Riley, Stephen Curry 

Matt Steinmetz: Warriors GM Larry Riley isn't on trip with front office to Bismarck, N.D., because he's having shoulder surgery. Twitter

Golden State Warriors, Larry Riley 

There has been a lot of talk this summer about the Warriors adopting a new strategy of "risk-taking" when it comes to roster transactions. General manager Larry Riley prefers the phrasing "calculated risk-taking," but he readily admits that finding a center this offseason is going to take a heap of creative risk-taking, too. "We've got to get into free agency, somehow," Riley said. "There will be some kind of cap space, you would think, as we go into the future. Not that somebody is just going to hand you a bunch of money and we can go shopping. "We're going to have to work like the dickens to help this team and get a little better." San Francisco Chronicle

Golden State Warriors, Free Agency, Larry Riley 

Tim Kawakami: Respect those who reported that Larry Riley called all Monta Ellis trade reports "fabrications," but that's not actually what he said today. Twitter

Golden State Warriors, Trade, Monta Ellis, Larry Riley 

I had a wide-ranging conversation with Warriors GM Larry Riley today. Some highlights: • On reports that the team is in talks to trade Monta Ellis: “We are not shopping Monta Ellis. It is business as usual here. I think you have to look at what just happened in the Finals — it seemed like Dallas played pretty small guards throughout that series with Miami and did a pretty good job of it. Our problem is not the small backcourt. Our problem is defense.” SI.com

Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Trade, Monta Ellis, Larry Riley 

Inside, they naturally say it's a non-issue. Riley is The Guy. Myers provides a new perspective on player evaluations and contract negotiations. West is an important advisor -- "He's a sounding board, that's the way I will use him," Riley said -- and will also be investing time outside of basketball operations. Kirk Lacob, a year out of Stanford, is, his father has said, on the bottom rung and reports to Riley. It's all so clear. But around the league? NBA.com

Golden State Warriors, Coaching, Jerry West, Larry Riley, Bob Myers 

One veteran executive was asked where he would go with a trade proposal. He paused, shrugged and said, "That's a good question." A long-time agent termed the reconstructed front office "A two-headed monster," ... meaning Riley and West. "It's a valid question," Riley conceded. So the Warriors' issue is more than just public perception. Teams and agents not getting the answer they want from one member of management will almost certainly call another in hopes of a different response. NBA.com

Golden State Warriors, Coaching, Jerry West, Larry Riley, Bob Myers 

Tim Kawakami: Some NBA execs are looking for clarity on GSW decision-making structure. For trade talk, do they call West, Riley, Myers or all of them? Twitter

Golden State Warriors, Jerry West, Larry Riley, Bob Myers