Warriors' Mike Dunleavy Discusses Viral Video of Apparent Dispute with Joe Lacob During NBA Draft
The Golden State Warriors ended up selecting Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg with the No. 11 pick in Tuesday's NBA draft, but it was video showing an apparent disagreement between team governor Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy that turned heads.
Dunleavy was even asked about it after the draft and told reporters, "As far as the discussion with Joe and I, yeah, at that point there's probably some talks about trades and things like that. But ultimately, we're all in agreement to land on taking Yaxel."
He also provided further detail on the overall relationship he has with Lacob before adding, "He's really excited about the pick."
Lendeborg was something of a risky pick, as he will turn 24 years old before the start of the 2026-27 NBA campaign.
That means he could be behind a number of fellow members of his class if it takes him a couple years to get adjusted to the NBA game. Even though he was a national champion and proven playmaker at Michigan, it is fair to question his overall ceiling given his age.
Still, it wasn't a particularly surprising pick at No. 11.
In fact, B/R's Jonathan Wasserman projected Golden State to use that pick on Lendeborg in his final mock draft. And joining a win-now team like the Warriors means his long-term ceiling may be less important than it would have been on a team in full rebuilding mode.
"It doesn't sound like this team is ready to start from scratch," Wasserman wrote. "With that mindset, Lendeborg would be a rational option with the high likelihood he's able to provide scoring versatility, passing and defensive versatility from Day 1."
Playing alongside Stephen Curry will also make anyone's job easier given the gravitational pull of the future Hall of Famer. That means Lendeborg could see more openings than he did in his final season with the Wolverines, and he is someone who can take full advantage of them as soon as his rookie season.
Dunleavy insisted everyone was happy with Lendeborg by the time the Warriors made their pick, even if the video appeared to show some disagreement. Perhaps he or Lacob were eyeing trades or other prospects, but Golden State ultimately ended up with one of the potential difference-makers in this class.
And any disagreements will be firmly in the rearview mirror if Lendeborg lives up to those expectations.
