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Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob once admitted that the franchise could've drafted two-time MVP Nikola Jokic and partnered him with Steph Curry.
The Serbian was the 41st pick in the 2014 draft. The Warriors didn't have any selections that year. Lacob claimed the team had one eye on Jokic as a late second-round pick, but never made a move.
Here's what Lacob said during an interview on 95.7 The Game's "The Morning Roast" show at the start of the 2021-22 NBA season when the Dubs got off to a 9-1 start.
"Obviously, there’s always somebody that you say ‘Dang, I knew I was at (pick No. 28) but I should have taken that guy.’ That’s just the nature of the beast. It’s just really hard to predict who is going to be great in the draft.
"Nikola Jokić at 41, we did see it actually, but we didn’t do it. The drafting thing is what I think about when I say ‘mistakes.’ It’s hard to be perfect. I think we’ve done a good job overall, but obviously, we could have been better.”
The Golden State Warriors have been among the best teams in scouting talent and building a core around their draft picks. Their three main guys, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, were all underrated prospects in their respective classes.
However, they went on to form one of the best trios in the NBA for nearly a decade, winning four championships and making six finals appearances.
Nikola Jokic would've certainly been a solid addition to the Warriors. His ability to make plays, space the floor, rebound and score efficiently would've been ideal. Draymond's presence could have also made up for Jokic's defensive struggles.
Warriors signing Andre Iguodala led to them missing out on Nikola Jokic
The Golden State Warriors were busy forming their championship roster around the trio of Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson in 2013.
One of their best decisions was to sign veteran swingman Andre Iguodala, who was a part of all six Warriors teams that made the finals and won four chips. Iguodala was the Finals MVP in the Warriors' 2015 championship win. However, it came at the cost of potentially acquiring Nikola Jokic.
The Warriors had to create cap space to sign Iguodala in 2013. To do that, they traded the expiring deals of Richard Jefferson and Andris Biedrins to the Utah Jazz. Jefferson and Biedrins weren't coveted targets at the time.
The Warriors had to offload picks in that trade and rush the move as other teams were leading the race to sign Iguodala, one of the top free-agent prospects that season. That included two first-rounders, one from the 2014 draft, and two second-round selections.
In the end, the Golden State Warriors missed the chance to add Nikola Jokic as they were left without a pick in the 2014 draft.
Click here to read Joe Lacob's interview on the Warriors' interest in Nikola Jokic.
