Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob sat down for an interview with sfgate.com to ostensibly talk about the turning of the leaf in Golden State and how good things are happening with his organization. This is likely all true, and the Warriors record this year stands on it’s own. They are a good team.
However, Lacob likely let slip something he never intended to get out. Answering a question about how he managed to talk Andre Iguodala (former Nuggets and 76ers player) into coming to the Warriors, even though they (the Dubs) were capped out. Apparently, Iguodala didn’t have to be convinced:
"It’s interesting, during one of the playoff games in Denver, I was sitting on the floor. It turned out per chance, that one of his cousins was sitting behind us. We introduced and got to know him during the first game. When we came back for the second game, he made it pretty clear that Andre liked the Warriors, liked the organization. Obviously, I couldn’t talk about that at the time, but when he did become a free agent, I didn’t have to sell a lot. He was pretty sold. He sees how we do things, and the word gets out among the players. We get approached all of the time by agents with really big names who say, ‘Hey, when my guy’s contract is up, we’d really like to consider playing for the Warriors, because you’re building something the right way.’ We can’t talk to them, because it’s illegal, but you can see that we’re building something for the future, and people can sense that."
If Lacob had it to do over again, I'm sure he would have answered this question in a more politically correct way. Essentially he's saying that Iggy's cousin solicited Lacob for Iguodala, in a round about way. And when time came it was an easy sell.
This is fine. Hell, if I was Lacob I would be jumping for joy. Yet, there is something extremely unseemly with Iguodala’s acolytes soliciting the owner of the team he is playing against in the playoffs about free agency. That’s Alex Rodriguez territory. Couple this with the circumstantial evidence that Iggy was “The Mole” that Mark Jackson was referring to for “targeting” Stephen Curry in game five. Plus Iguodala’s cavorting and going to prayer meetings, again DURING the playoffs with the Warriors … well, you can’t blame Nuggets fans for feeling a bit of righteous indignation toward Iguodala.
It’s one thing to leave as a free agent. Everyone get’s that. Double dealing with the opposing team during the playoffs? That’s dirty pool. Considering he is in the catbird seat with the Warriors at the moment and the Nuggets are going through a painful adjustment to Brian Shaw, it makes things that much worse.
