The Warriors weren’t able to add another star this summer or at the trade deadline, but co-owner Joe Lacob revealed that they made at least two attempts at blockbuster deals, relays Dylan Grausz of NBC Sports Bay Area. Appearing on “The TK Show” podcast hosted by Tim Kawakami, Lacob alluded to those efforts during a discussion of the team’s draft picks.
It’s like anything, it’s like any other trade,” he said.“We have to make a good trade, we have to make a trade that makes sense. If we thought we had a great trade in front of us, and by the way, without talking a little bit too much more than I should about secret dealings that went on in the offseason, we made at least two very big offers in the last six months, let’s put it that way. Between the trade deadline and the summer, at least two. There were multiple draft choices. So it’s not like we wouldn’t move them if we thought it was the right thing to do.
“We moved one for Jimmy (Butler) when we got him then. I can tell you there were offers that we did make where more than two, there was a significant amount of draft capital. They didn’t work out, the cost was too high to be justifiable or we weren’t selected. These things happen. I’ve told all of our fans from day one, we’re going to go after pretty much anybody who is a good player and check it out, check out the situation at all times. We want to be as good as we can be this year. We’re trying to be the best team that we can be, we’re trying to win an NBA championship.”
The Warriors were among the teams pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo in February before Milwaukee took him off the market. They also reportedly made an offer to the Clippers for Kawhi Leonard, so those could be the two major deals that Lacob was referencing, although the mention of “secret dealings” indicates there may be others.
In the same interview, Lacob said he understands the need to be competitive during the final years of Stephen Curry‘s career, Grausz states in a separate story. Curry has a $62.5MM expiring contract and will become extension-eligible on August 29.
He might be around one year, two years, although he could be LeBron (James) and be around at 45,” Lacob said. “We don’t know that either, he’s one of the most remarkably conditioned athletes, I would not put anything past him. But having said that, yeah, we understand that, and Draymond (Green) is older as well … it’s going to happen at some point, people are going to be done or leave or whatever. We are trying at all times to be as good as we can be.
“It’s never acceptable not to be the best team you can possibly be for your fans, for the franchise, for Steph, for everybody. We’re always trying to do that, we really are … we’re trying, and I wouldn’t make so many conclusions about what we’re going to be or how bad we’re going to be after either. Our intent is to be good at all times.”
Lacob dismissed speculation that Curry could be traded as “clickbait” and said he’s virtually certain to finish his career with the Warriors, per Kevin Topley of NBC Sports Bay Area.