Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob is pushing back on the idea that a quiet offseason was a mistake. He says standing pat can be the smarter move.
Lacob Defends Continuity for the Warriors
The Warriors missed out on LeBron James and made few major moves around Stephen Curry. Golden State finished 10th in the West last season. It won its first play-in game but lost the second and missed the playoffs.
Lacob spoke with Ron Kroichick of the San Francisco Chronicle about the criticism. He argued that continuity gets overlooked. “Sometimes, people undervalue continuity. That’s important,” Lacob said. “We have some good young players here. Whether people want to admit it or understand it or not, we have some really good older players, too.”
“The Best Deals Are the Ones You Don’t Do”
Lacob said there is a time to make moves and a time not to. He pointed out that a bad trade can satisfy fans in the short term and still hurt the team. “Sometimes, the best deals you ever do are the ones you don’t do,” Lacob said. “We could make a really bad deal and then everyone would be happy because we did something, quote unquote. But that’s not necessarily the right thing to do.”
Lacob Praises Curry for Taking Less
Lacob also spoke about Curry’s two-year, $116 million extension. Curry took roughly $20 million less than the max he was eligible for, which gives the front office more cap flexibility next summer. “We were going to take care of him and make sure he stays, no matter what,” Lacob said. “Fortunately, we were able to convince him if he wanted to help out, he saw the benefit of that.”
He added, with a smile, that more would be welcome. “If he would take even less, we’d be happier,” Lacob said. “But we appreciate what he’s done. Most players don’t ever take less, and he didn’t have to. If he had demanded to take all of it, we’d have paid it. He deserves it.”
Why the Warriors Say Curry Matters Most
For Lacob, the key point is simple. “The most important thing is he stays a Warrior for life, because he’s so important to this franchise,” Lacob said.
The Warriors enter the season with much of last year’s roster intact, plus rookie Yaxel Lendeborg. Jimmy Butler is still recovering from a torn ACL. Whether continuity pays off is the question the Warriors will answer this season.
Warriors Owner Drops Blunt Quote on Offseason Criticism