It’s not easy to find a successor with credentials that would rival those of former Golden State Director of Basketball Operations Chris Mullin, and the SF Chronicle’s Al Saracevic and Rusty Simmons detail the franchise’s extensive search.

Warriors owner Joe Lacob defended his decision to make his son the first hire of the new regime, saying Tuesday that Kirk Lacob (above) is “incredibly qualified and capable.”

“Forget titles. They don’t mean anything,” Joe Lacob said. “He’ll be working on statistical things, things he’s very good at. Looking at analysis. Helping with the draft.”

The younger Lacob is not completely new to the NBA. He interned with the Boston Celtics in 2007, working in community and media relations, while his father was a minority owner of the team.

Kirk Lacob was recruited by some Division III schools after averaging 7.7 points and 2.7 assists as a senior at Atherton’s Menlo School. Instead, he decided to attend Stanford, where he tried to walk on.

“It didn’t work out,” Joe Lacob said. “He wasn’t really a Pac-10 basketball player, but he started Stanford club basketball.”

It’s quite a resume and if nothing else, it should increase speculation that Jerry Ferrara or Bobbito Garcia are in line to replace Donnie Walsh when or if the Knicks’ club president is deemed physically incapable of continuing.