David Lee was mentioned in trade rumors at the deadline as he had fallen out of the Golden State Warriors' rotation and is eating a large share of their cap.

Lee suddenly played important minutes in Games 3 and 4 of The Finals.

"I can tell you that at the trade deadline, there was discussion from others that we should move David Lee, and some people (thought) we were going to move David Lee, and I can tell you that we all sat there and said, 'No, we're not going to do that, no matter what the cost might be next year,' " Joe Lacob said. "We thought that David was still a very good player, and one injury and all of a sudden David Lee is playing a lot. I've always felt that he would contribute to the championship.

"He and I have talked about it, and while he certainly says it has been difficult — and I know it has — he has been a great team player about it all. He hasn't complained. He has been a positive force in the locker room, and I think we all appreciate that and we admire it and we respect it. I'm a big David Lee fan, and I always will be, whether he's with us long term or not."

"I'd be extremely selfish right now if I was worried about minutes or points or things like that," Lee told USA TODAY Sports recently. "At this point of the season, that has nothing to do with anything. I mean Steph Curry would average 10 points a game for the rest of the year if it meant we won a championship. It's not about that.

"And like I said, I think having those years of having 20 and 10 and being an All-Star and things like that — that's a very rewarding thing to do, but right now what we're going through is really good. Would I like to be playing more? Every guy in my position would love to be playing more. But like I said, it's not because I'm not playing well. When I'm getting a chance, I'm playing well, so all I have to do is be ready and if I get a ring out of this — if we get a ring out of this — it will have all been worth it."

Lee has one more season remaining on his contract.