Eric Housen, the Warriors’ vice president of team operations and a staple of the franchise, was stuck at the Shinola Hotel in downtown Detroit for New Year’s Eve. He missed the Warriors’ win over the Pistons two nights earlier, the first road game he failed to attend since he became the team’s equipment manager in 1999. Housen closed 2020 sitting on the ledge of a large window staring into the night, watching people stagger out of a bar downstairs.

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When the Warriors hosted Portland for the 2020-21 home opener at Chase Center on New Year’s Day, he wasn’t in his normal spot near the court. He ordinarily starts game days at about 6 a.m., working nonstop preparing for the game — everything from laundry to logistics to loose ends — before finally getting to enjoy his Warriors up close at tipoff. Instead, for the first time since Feb. 6, 2018, when his daughter was born, he wasn’t in the arena for a Dubs’ home game. He was standing in front of the TV watching from his hotel room in Detroit.

Housen not being at a Warriors game is like the Chase Center rims with no nets. He is Mr. Behind The Scenes, managing equipment, booking travel, keeping track of players’ personal property, overseeing the kitchen staff and security. Hearing someone scream “E!!!” because they need something is part of the background music in the locker room.

But NBA health and safety protocols had Housen stuck in Detroit. Contact tracing placed him next to someone who tested positive for COVID-19. The person wasn’t around the team but Housen came in contact during his laundry list of duties before a game. As a result, the league required a seven-day quarantine.

“Man, it’s tough but I’m trying to make the best of it,” Housen said in a phone interview before Friday’s game. “It’s not easy. I don’t know how to describe it. You feel like you’re doing something wrong by not being there, you know? It’s such a big part of my life. And when the ball goes up, man, I’m just a fan like everyone else. Obviously, I might wipe up a wet spot, or I might throw the towels (to the players) or I might get somebody something. But, man, I just sit in the corner. I’ve got the best seat in the building. That’s the best time of the day — the game. So I really missed that. I do. I really miss it.”

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Housen said as soon as he learned of who tested positive, he figured he either contracted the virus or would have to quarantine. He has been a stickler about following the guidelines. He even sends texts to players and staffers reminding them to wear masks and practice social distancing. He never contracted the virus, testing negative from the outset and every day since. But because the Warriors are following the NBA’s guidelines religiously, Housen still had to quarantine. Thus, he is stuck in Detroit.

He tried to plan a drive back to the Bay Area so he could quarantine at home with his family. But the NBA advised it was safer to remain in the hotel in Detroit. So the Housen family was relegated to FaceTime.

“But it’s all good, man,” he said. “Every time I kind of get down or whatever, my wife starts naming things that we’re both thankful for. We have our jobs, our life, our daughter, our health. Those are the things that are most important. She really keeps me upbeat. But it’s still a long way to go, man.”

Housen’s quarantine ends on Tuesday. Every day, a nurse tests him at 6 a.m. That’s the only personal contact he’s had. The hotel is aware of his quarantine and keeps staffers away and is cautious about delivering room service.

In the meantime, how do the Warriors survive without him? Housen said his staff prepared for this knowing it was possible. His team includes Daniel Alonzo, assistant equipment manager, and Jake Abfalter, the team operations coordinator, in addition to the ball boys and part-timers who work on game days. Housen works closely with Ralph Walker, head of security, and Chloe Walkup, assistant manager of basketball operations, each of whom is integral in the layered behind-the-scenes execution of Warriors games.

They all know the lay of the land, what needs to be done. Housen has been able to do some things via the phone. But they haven’t needed much from him, save for a question or two. While he could use the distraction of being sorely needed, he said it makes him feel good that his team is prepared and they get to own the moment. He does what he can on the computer, including research for future road trips and tasks.

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“Just trying to project ahead and work ahead, keep my mind busy, keep doing stuff,” Housen said. “I can’t really leave the room. But, I mean, look at what’s going on in the world. It’s not that bad, you know?”

Housen gets check-in calls and texts from Bob Myers, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and others. Steve Kerr calls Housen every morning and even popped Housen on the phone with the team before a meeting.

The highlight for Housen came during a video presentation on New Year’s Day. Kerr had Khalid Robinson, his special assistant, create a video with messages from family members. Housen’s 2-year-old daughter was first in the video.

“The thing that I guess has been created with Steve and Bob, Steph, Klay (Thompson) and Draymond being the core, is just family,” Housen said. “You kind of feel like they really care, you know? They really care. I’m out here and they’re there. And even with everything going on — Steve’s trying to win a game, all the players are trying to win a game — for them to check to see how I am, that’s an incredible feeling. I’m isolated and kind of going through a tough time. Just to know that those guys think about it, hearing from them, talking to them, that keeps you upbeat, too.”

You didn’t know you were a fan of Blake Snell, the 2018 AL Cy Young winner. You’re not supposed to like him, being that he’s newly a San Diego Padre and all. But then you heard him rapping along to Andre Nickatina’s “Jungle” from 2002. Another example of the strong vibes between Seattle and the Bay.

Is Blake Snell secretly a bay boy?

— Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) January 3, 2021

Reason says the 49ers and Raiders should return for the 2021 season with their quarterbacks. Both teams have so many other areas that need attention that focusing on the quarterback feels like a distraction. The 49ers have so many free agents they will likely need to replace several players, and healthy Jimmy Garoppolo wins games at a high clip. The Raiders need to do something about their defense, arguably the worst in the league, and a better defense would do Derek Carr a lot of good.

So the incentive to draft a quarterback in the middle of the first round, where both will be, doesn’t seem like the right play.

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But what if someone comes calling? That would get interesting. Justin Fields dominating Clemson in the Sugar Bowl definitely looked like a No. 2 pick. That triggered some imagining. BYU’s Zach Wilson, who recently declared for the draft, is up there, too. That’s three quarterbacks who could go with the first three picks.

The New York Jets have dropped out of the No. 1 pick and could very well want to trade down after missing out on the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes. He’s going to Jacksonville. The Miami Dolphins own the No. 3 pick by way of Houston and already have Tua Tagovailoa, whom they selected No. 5 overall in the 2019 draft. They could want to move down, too.

With three high-upside quarterbacks available, one could be on the board at No. 3 when Miami wants to make a move. Neither will fall down to the Raiders or 49ers but either would give both teams what they need — a modern quarterback who can be a threat with his legs and his arm.

How tantalizing might that be? Not only to start over at quarterback but replace a roughly $20 million salary with one starting around $6 million. Garoppolo and Carr have gotten all their guaranteed money so they’d be easy to move on from.

It would be hard to pull the trigger. Such a move would cost a bounty of draft picks. A first this year, a first next year, a third this year, maybe a third or fourth next year. And trading up for a quarterback is a risky play that often fails. It’s already hard enough being a quarterback. Add the price of future picks onto their head and the expectations rise like crazy. The smart and safe play is to use those picks to build around the incumbent quarterbacks.

But what if Kyle Shanahan loves Wilson and he is actually in his grasp? What if Jon Gruden covets Justin Fields and has an offer to move up to get him? A key to good management is knowing when to move on and when to run it back. Both teams could talk themselves into either.

The 49ers’ situation is unique in that Garoppolo took them to the Super Bowl last season. But he is also a reason they didn’t pull it out and he hasn’t looked quite the same since. Plus he will have missed 23 games since becoming a 49er.

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Carr has produced just one winning season with the Raiders and failed to deliver the playoffs this season even after a 6-3 start. But he looked great at times this season while the defense shoulders most of the blame.

I wouldn’t vouch for either team trying to force their way up. The cost gets too high in that scenario. Plus, there will be competition. Several teams need quarterbacks between No. 3 and the Raiders and 49ers.

But if one of the teams are selling, dangling a quarterback of the future, I’d be tempted. I have a feeling the franchises connected to the Bay will be, too.

Kelly Oubre Jr.’s substantial struggles might have opened the door for Kerr to do what otherwise would have been tough: move Oubre to the bench. If there were ever a reason to try something different, it’s 1-for-25 from 3-point range.

It’s only been five games, but the one thing Oubre was supposed to be a lock for, defense, isn’t working out well enough to justify cementing his position in the starting lineup. What matters more than anything right now is getting Curry into a rhythm. Nothing else works if he is not. That has to be the priority, getting Curry comfortable in the old offense with new teammates and in his role as the central hub of everything. Even he is still operating like it will be fine for him to go minutes out of the action, as if other All-Stars will carry the load. If Curry gets going, everything else has a chance to fall into place.

Well, Curry needs shooting with him. Kerr should start Damion Lee, who is 9-for-18 from 3. Lee and Andrew Wiggins, who is 10-for-24 from 3, are better suited right now to loosen the defense for Curry or at least make it pay for its all-out dedication to negating him. Oubre is looking like he doesn’t even want to shoot anymore.

We’ve seen this before, people struggle under the weight of open shots Curry creates for them. We’ve seen players get in their own head when they KNOW shots are coming their way because of how defenses treat Curry and the pressure on them to make those shots. Some don’t want to shoot, hesitating to pull the trigger. From Harrison Barnes to Omri Casspi to Nick Young, we’ve seen it. Not everyone is Mo Speights. Add Oubre to the list.

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Maybe the best thing for him is to start the game off the bench, against reserves and after the flow of the game has been established. He has experience as a reserve. That’s what he was before becoming a starter in Phoenix last season.

The Warriors can’t afford to get down early and have to fight back. They’ve got to stay in games and that means scoring. They keep saying they aren’t worried about offense, but they should be. They aren’t elite enough on defense to disregard offense.

(Photo: Noah Graham / NBAE via Getty Images)