Joe Lacob Felt 'Persecuted' in NBA Owners Meeting After Signing Kevin Durant
Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob said he caught some serious heat from the league's owners shortly after Kevin Durant joined the club in July 2016.
"That [NBA] owners meeting, the July after we got Kevin, was a difficult one," Lacob told ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne. "I felt really personally persecuted by the other owners."
Lacob added that despite the chilly reception, he hasn't concerned himself with how the rest of the league perceives the Warriors.
"We can't worry about that," he said. "Our job is to win. Our job is to do the best for our fans and for our partners and our organization.
"The truth is, we've got to keep doing it. You can't just rest on your laurels. We have to start working on next year right now."
And here's the bad news for the rest of the NBA: The Warriors aren't going anywhere.
Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are all under contract, and Kevin Durant recently told ESPN's Rachel Nichols he's not going anywhere even though he's going to be an unrestricted free agent.
"I'm planning on staying with the Warriors, and we'll figure the rest out," he said.
Durant signed a two-year, $51 million contract to stay with the Warriors last summer, including a $26.25 million player option for the 2018-19 season. According to ESPN.com's Chris Haynes, Durant will decline that option and restructure his deal.
Lacob also previously told The Athletic's Anthony Slater that signing head coach Steve Kerr to a contract extension was "very high (on the priority list)."
