Inside the Warriors’ 2021 Draft Secret: The Prospect That Almost Changed Everything

Ever wonder how a team’s prized draft pick ends up looking like the odd man out? Take Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors—a young talent brimming with promise, yet seemingly stuck on the bench while others question his worth. It’s almost like Coach Kerr’s playing a game of “hot potato” with minutes, and the front office? Well, according to some fresh reports, the real push to snag Kuminga came straight from owner Joe Lacob, despite whispers of a different prospect, Franz Wagner, catching some eyes. So, what happens when a franchise’s big decision-maker bets on a player the rest of the team isn’t sold on? Buckle up—this isn’t your typical draft day success story.

For the last few months, some fans have been questioning why the Golden State Warriors aren’t true believers in Jonathan Kuminga.

He’s a young man with a lot of talent, so why aren’t the Warrirors trying to use him more often and sign him to a respectable contract?

According to new reporting, Warriors owner Joe Lacob was the driving force behind acquiring Kuminga, while other important figures in the organization weren’t so sure about him.

“Lacob has been a central figure in Kuminga’s NBA career since the beginning. Bob Myers was team president and Dunleavy assistant general manager when they drafted Kuminga in 2021. They gave the collective green light, but Lacob was a driving force in the selection when others, including a few on the coaching staff, voiced a Franz Wagner preference, sources said,” wrote ESPN‘s Anthony Slater and Shams Charania.

The Warriors chose Kuminga as the seventh overall pick in the 2021 draft, but this report states that several people were keen on Franz Wagner instead.

Wagner certainly would have helped the Warriors in some very profound and important ways.

Understandably, Lacob held all the power here, and it sounds like he ordered his management to pursue Kuminga, which they did.

But how can a team really go all-in on a player that they don’t truly believe in?

It has become apparent that the Warriors don’t have a huge space for the young star.

Head coach Steve Kerr is wishy-washy on Kuminga, and he doesn’t get many minutes on the court.

He feels that he’s ready for more responsibilities, but the team doesn’t agree with him.

There may never be a way for everyone to see eye-to-eye here, which is why a move for Kuminga probably makes the most sense.

He might not get it this summer, but people expect him to be leaving Golden State by the time the trade deadline rolls around in February.

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