OAKLAND, Calif. _ Some of the proud Warriors players danced in the streets without their shirts. Warriors second-year forward Jordan Bell chugged a bottle of Hennessy. So did Warriors All-Star guard Klay Thompson, who also sprayed champagne on fans along the parade route.
The Warriors felt intoxicated with championship euphoria and alcohol as they hopped on and off the bus during their championship parade in June. Well, most of them.
When Warriors general manager Bob Myers sat on the bus and stared at the crowd of fans cheering at every turn, he did not think of the team's third NBA title in four years. He was worried about returning to the team's practice facility in time to see rookie Jacob Evans in a pre-draft workout that afternoon.
"Your mind can't be out there with a bottle of Hennessy when you have a draft workout," Myers said. "You're struggling to find the balance."
Since training camp began two weeks ago, the Warriors have characterized themselves as reinvigorated despite playing in the NBA Finals for four consecutive seasons. As illustrated with Myers' experience at the parade, players, coaches and front office members have varying success in tackling the NBA's first-world issue.
How long do the Warriors enjoy their NBA championship with rest and vacation before focusing on next season with summer workouts and game preparations? That question poses different answers for a few reasons. Some players and coaches prepare immediately for summer league. The front office's itinerary becomes busier with pre-draft workouts in June and free-agency negotiations in July.
Either way, no one can ignore the calendar. As Thompson observed, "it's always too short; that's a great problem to have."
"Our time in the offseason has been so crunched these last four years so you have to make the most out of every single day," Thompson said. "I've always been itching to get back into the gym, but I also enjoy the heck out of my time. It goes by fast. Until we get that ring on ring night, I'm celebrating the hell out of it."
