The Big Lead

Warriors owner Joe Lacob called 'meddling' for not giving GM full 'autonomy'

By Joe Lago

Nov 12, 2023; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors majority owner Joe Lacob on the sideline after a loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
Nov 12, 2023; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors majority owner Joe Lacob on the sideline after a loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images / Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
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If the Golden State Warriors didn't like the national media's reaction to the organization's complete alignment with protecting future draft assets before the NBA trade deadline, they're really going to hate the new narrative about the franchise's leadership.

RELATED: Steph Curry identifies the key games that will 'define' Warriors season

Joe Lacob definitely won't like it because the criticism is directed soley at him.

In the latest episode of The Ringer's "Real Ones" podcast, Logan Murdock and Howard Beck discussed what has gone wrong with Golden State, which enjoyed a surprising 12-3 start to the season but has been in free fall since in sliding down the Western Conference standings to 11th place at 21-21.

Murdock, a former Warriors beat writer, addressed the flaws in the roster and the struggles of last offseason's additions, namely Buddy Hield who's been mired in a prolonged shooting slump. He then shifted the conversation to the "chemistry issues" of the front office — specifically the challenging job of general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr.

Dunleavy, who replaced Bob Myers in June 2023, has found out "what it's like to not get the autonomy when you're the Warriors GM when you have an owner like Joe Lacob, who's constantly meddling on every single deal," according to Murdock.

Murdock also said Lacob has been "pushing" Dunleavy to sign Jonathan Kuminga, the 2021 No. 7 overall pick who has yet to have a breakthrough season and is due to hit restricted free agency, despite Steve Kerr and his staff's indifference.

"The coaches keep telling (Dunleavy), 'Hey, I don't know if he's that consistent,'" Murdock said of Kuminga.

Murdock also called out the Warriors brass for prioritizing the franchise's post-Steph Curry era.

"There's no future after Steph. You shouldn't think like that with a guy like Steph," Murdock said. "He's one of the top 10 players ever, arguably, and also one of the faces of his generation, bro. You're not going to find somebody like that."

Murdock concluded that Golden State's "lack of aggression" is "wasting another year of Steph's twilight ... effective twilight." He also gave an unflattering characterization of the Chase Center vibe with a "dejected fan base" and the "very fake optimism" shared by the front office and players.

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