Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob confirmed that the organization attempted to acquire an additional first-round pick during the 2026 NBA Draft to select another young prospect alongside Yaxel Lendeborg.
The revelation comes as Golden State continues its impressive turnaround following an 0-3 start, extending its winning streak to eight games with Monday night's 138-87 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard shared Lacob's comments on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday, revealing that the Warriors had considered adding another prospect, potentially Brayden Burries, rather than selecting someone instead of Lendeborg.
“Would we have liked to have gotten a second pick and tried to do that? Did we try? Sure,” Lacob said.
Lacob's admission confirms previous reports that Golden State explored multiple scenarios involving additional first-round selections ahead of the draft.
ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel reported in June that the Warriors contacted the Charlotte Hornets about potentially acquiring the No. 14 and No. 18 overall picks.
“A couple of weeks ago, the Warriors made a call to the Charlotte Hornets to inquire about whether there was a deal to be had where they could acquire both their 14th and 18th picks,” Siegel reported.
However, Charlotte showed no interest in moving both selections, forcing Golden State to continue exploring other opportunities.
Siegel subsequently reported that the Warriors remained interested in several prospects, including Karim Lopez, Cameron Carr and Bennett Stirtz, while considering ways to acquire another pick in the late teens.
The Warriors also expressed interest in Morez Johnson Jr., with Siegel reporting that Golden State and Charlotte had discussed a potential trade involving the Hornets' selections.
Yaxel Lendeborg proving Warriors right with impressive rookie season
Despite those discussions, Golden State ultimately retained the No. 11 overall pick and selected Lendeborg, who has quickly emerged as one of the team's most important contributors.
Although the Warriors were unable to secure another first-round selection, their decision to draft Lendeborg has already provided significant returns.
Through his first 11 games, the 24-year-old is averaging 21.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, four assists and one steal while shooting 52.3% from the field and 44.3% from 3-point range.
Article Continues BelowLendeborg has also averaged 31.9 minutes per contest, establishing himself as a consistent contributor in Golden State's rotation.
His production has played a major role in the Warriors' eight-game winning streak, which has propelled them to an 8-3 record after opening the season with three consecutive losses.
Golden State's recent success has also demonstrated the value of its draft investment, particularly as the organization continues balancing its veteran core with younger contributors.
While Lacob acknowledged that the Warriors wanted to add another prospect alongside Lendeborg, the rookie's immediate impact has given the franchise a promising young player to build around.
The Warriors will now begin a five-game road trip Wednesday against the Houston Rockets (8-3), with tipoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. PT on ESPN.