Owner Joe Lacob’s “Light Years Ahead” Quote is Based in Fact, Not Arrogance
There’s proof Golden State is “light year ahead” of the rest.
In today’s New York Times, Bruce Shoenfeld writes about the Golden State Warriors ownership, mainly about majority owner Joe Lacob. The article delves deep into what made Golden State the new Overlords of the Association (I wanted to say “Kings of the NBA”, but that would confuse the sentiment. Sorry Sacramento). But there are certain quotes made by Lacob which many are taking issue with. One of them has the reverse initials of B.S., which is extremely apt given who the man is.
The comments in question are best summed up by one particular phrase: “We’re light years ahead of…every other team in structure, in planning, in how we’re going about things”. Bold statement Mr. Lacob, says the 29 other owners, general managers, and head coaches brimming with anger that Lacob would be so audacious as to make such a statement. But if it is anger, it’s mixed with admiration. Of course it it, how could it not be?
Of course a large portion of these people already thought that Golden State’s organization has a magical concoction in their Vitamin Water that heightens their ability to draft, trade and make-use of their players so effectively that at seasons end the Warriors will hold the record for most wins in a season. Was Lacob taking too much credit for how Steph Curry has an EWA of 25.2, or the genius of Bob Meyers? And is that why issue is being taken with these statements? The answer is a resounding NO WAY. Lacob is speaking on behalf of Meyers, Kerr, Curry and the rest of the Warriors. Because without Lacob, none of this would be possible and here’s why…
One of Lacob’s first moves after becoming majority owner was bringing in former National Champion UCLA Bruin Bob Myers as assistant GM to Larry Riley. But after the 2011–12 23-win season, Lacob fired Riley and promoted Myers to GM. This was the moment when a four-year winding road finally led to Myers and Lacob hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy last summer.
As GM, Lacob’s hand-picked choice Bob Myers had a run of personnel overhauls and draft picks that, when looking back, makes Billy Beane look like Mr. Bean. Myers, through trade and consecutive drafts added five pieces in the championship puzzel.
The first move was trading fan-uber-favorite Monta Ellis to Milwaukee for an injured Aussie that analysts had already called a bust. His name was Andrew Bogut, the starting center for the 68-win Warriors. This move was so unpopular at the time, that in March 2012, at a halftime ceremony to retire Warrior legend Rick Barry’s number, Lacob was booed so vigorously it gave a different meaning to “Roaracle”. Granted, Warrior fans had been suffering through three decades of irrelevance, and Ellis was an entertaining, high scoring jersey selling machine. And without Ellis, many Warrior fans were furious that this new owner and GM were saying “Stephen Curry is now our starting point guard”. Seemed preposterous at the time given Curry’s slim build, injury history and lack of a big-time NCAA program behind him. We all know how that unfolded.
Then came the real measuring stick for any new GM, the NBA draft. Between the 2012 and 2013 drafts, Myers added a few key pieces. Harrison Barnes with the no. 7 pick, Festus Ezeli at no. 30, and Draymond Green with the 37th overall. The next year saw no current Warrior picked, but that was due to a three-team trade with Utah and Denver for Andre Iguodala.
So in short, with five draft picks, Myers added the current starting small forward in Barnes, a 2016 All-Star and Warrior-MVP 1b in Green, and last year’s Finals MVP in Iguodala.
Then there was the other controversial decision by Lacob. That happened when he fired Mark Jackson after leading Golden State to a 51-win season and plucked Steve Kerr, who had never coached before last season. The result, 67 wins and the first NBA title in 40+ years. And now Kerr (with help of assistant coach Luke Walton) the Warriors have broken records for most wins to start a season (the streak snapped with the Warriors record being 27–0). They hold the record for most regular season home wins in a row, which stands at 51. And they are odds-on-favorites to break the 1995–96 Chicago Bulls record of 72 wins in a season.
The proof is in the pudding. And it’s a perfectly balanced mixture of outstanding play by every one from reigning MVP Steph Curry to James Michael McAdoo, the way second-year coach Steve Kerr utilizes every player to their maximum potential and how he meshes their play on the court, to the front office who constructed all of the above.
And all of this can be attributed to Joe Lacob making the right hires, trusting those he’s put in that front-office and the result has been historic several times over. So when he says the Warriors franchise is ahead of the game, he’s absolutely right. He isn’t expressing an opinion, rather he is stating a fact.
How anyone could argue is beyond my comprehension, and now should be beyond yours.