The Golden State Warriors have turned from a struggling franchise into a perennial championship favorite in half a decade, and there's a very big reason why - the arrival of the new ownership group, led by Joe Lacob.
When Lacob and Peter Guber bought the team for $450 million five years ago today, they watched Golden State's game against the Detroit Pistons and came to the conclusion that the Warriors had a LONG way to go on the court. With that, they got to work.
As much as the Warriors seem like an overnight sensation, that doesn't mean there weren't struggles and bad times.
In March 2012, Lacob was harshly booed during Chris Mullin's jersey retirement ceremony. Fans were not happy that the Warriors had just traded guard Monta Ellis, opting to keep a young Stephen Curry over their longest-tenured player. Lacob was unfazed and went through the ceremony without addressing the trade.
The move actually changed the course of the franchise. Curry has emerged as the NBA MVP and as the best player in the world, while Ellis has played for three teams since being dealt.
General manager Bob Myers, who was hired as the team's assistant GM in 2011 prior to being promoted a year later, played a big part in the trade that sent Ellis to the Bucks. He also hit on all three of Golden State's draft picks in 2012, selecting Harrison Barnes (No. 7 overall), Festus Ezeli (No. 30 overall), and Draymond Green (No. 35 overall). Oh yeah, he also acquired Finals MVP Andre Iguodala in a three-team trade with the Nuggets and Jazz.
The final step came in the hiring of head coach Steve Kerr in the summer of 2014 after firing Mark Jackson, who had led Golden State to back-to-back 50-win seasons, due to disagreements with the front office. One could argue that Jackson's tenure laid the foundation for the growth the team had under Kerr, but Kerr took the Warriors to a different level.
In just five years, the Warriors have gone from being NBA afterthoughts to the model franchise in the league - all because Lacob and Meyers have consistently hit the right buttons. And now they're reaping the benefits.
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