Joe Lacob Faces Internal Backlash Over Kuminga Decision

Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob is facing renewed internal scrutiny following the franchise’s decision to move on from Jonathan Kuminga, a player once envisioned as a cornerstone of the team’s next era.

In a detailed report, ESPN’s Anthony Slater outlined how Lacob’s involvement in personnel decisions — particularly during the 2021 NBA Draft and the years that followed — became a source of tension within the organization.

“Let your basketball people make basketball decisions,” one team source told Slater, summarizing growing internal frustration over ownership influence during a pivotal period for the franchise.

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Warriors Owner’s Influence During 2021 NBA Draft Draws Focus

According to Slater, Lacob played an outsized role in the Warriors’ decision to select Kuminga with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Lacob developed a strong belief in Kuminga during the predraft process, including a dinner meeting in Miami shortly before the draft. Team sources said Lacob became convinced Kuminga could evolve into a face of the franchise, an idea he continued to support at several key junctures.

That conviction persisted even as concerns mounted internally about Kuminga’s fit within Golden State’s system.

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Warriors Coaching Staff Preferred Franz Wagner Over Jonathan Kuminga

The Warriors worked out more than 70 prospects during the 2021 predraft process. According to Slater, several members of the coaching staff strongly favored Franz Wagner, who ultimately went No. 8 to the Orlando Magic.

“The group that attended Wagner’s workout came away adamant he’d be an ideal fit in Steve Kerr’s system,” Slater reported.

Head coach Steve Kerr was not heavily involved in the draft process. Kerr was with Team USA preparing for the Tokyo Olympics and received only intermittent updates, according to team sources, leaving him without a firm opinion on Kuminga.

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Decision-Making Concentrated at the Top

Slater reported that Lacob and then-general manager Bob Myers were among a small group who visited Kuminga in Miami six days before the draft. Then-assistant coach Kenny Atkinson ran the workout and remained a believer in Kuminga through his final days with the organization.

When Golden State went on the clock, both Kuminga and Wagner were available. Lacob pushed for Kuminga while Myers and then-assistant general manager Mike Dunleavy did not object, Slater reported, citing team sources.

“Bob and I have felt for several years that we’ve needed physicality,” Lacob said on draft night. “Athleticism and physicality.”

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Kuminga Decision Becomes Organizational Flashpoint

In the seasons that followed, the choice to draft Kuminga over Wagner became a central point of internal tension, according to Slater.

Wagner has averaged at least 20 points per game over the past three seasons, while Kuminga struggled to secure a consistent role in Golden State’s rotation. Kuminga’s isolation-heavy skill set never fully aligned with the Warriors’ motion-heavy offense or defensive principles, according to Slater, citing team sources.

Slater added that Lacob’s continued public support of Kuminga — including visible celebrations during his standout performances — was viewed internally as a desire to validate the original decision. That dynamic also complicated trade discussions in subsequent years.

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Warriors Finally Close Kuminga Chapter

Last week, the Warriors traded Kuminga to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porziņģis, ending one of the most debated five-season tenures in recent franchise history.

The move closed the book on one of the most scrutinized player tenures of Golden State’s two-timeline experiment.

Inside the organization, the aftermath has triggered renewed reflection about the proper balance between ownership vision and basketball operations. What began as a bold swing toward the franchise’s future instead exposed the risks of blurred lines in decision-making.

Around the league, Lacob’s handling of Kuminga is now widely viewed as a cautionary tale — a reminder that even well-intentioned ownership involvement can complicate roster construction when it undermines the organization’s best basketball minds.

Alder Almo is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has more than 20 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is from the Philippines and is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo