The Golden State Warriors do not look anything close to their previously seen championship form through the first eight weeks of the season, and fans are starting to have enough.
With Stephen Curry putting up stat lines similar to those in his back-to-back MVP seasons, the Warriors as a whole have not found it easy to win. Turnovers have been an issue, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, and other rotational players have been inconsistent, and they’ve been without Al Horford for health reasons, and Jonathan Kuminga for uncertain reasons.
Golden State has lost four of its last six games and is eighth in the Western Conference standings. Their recent poor play prompted an emotional fan to send an email to team owner Joe Lacob, to which the billionaire actually responded.
(h/t @NBCSWarriors )
While Warriors fans in particular feel overwhelmed enough to send the team owner a direct email, it is somewhat warranted considering Curry’s incredible recent stretch, the four-time champions are still in a much better spot compared to numerous other teams around the league.
Warriors Owner And Fan Email Exchange
According to a screenshot and recent report from NBC Sports Bay Area, here’s how the exchange between Lacob and the upset fan went down.
Fan: “Dear Joe, Please do something about this team. What [does] Steph [Curry] need to do every night to win? Drop 50 points? Team is [in] need [of] a real second option. Jimmy [Butler’s] tools are being underutilized because he is playing as a power forward due to the small position players. We have no true center. I am so frustrated. Thanks, Justin.”
Lacob: “You can’t be as frustrated as me. I am working on it. It’s complicated. Style of play. Coaches desires regarding players. League trends. Jimmy is not the problem.”
A lot of pressure has been put on Butler recently, with head coach Steve Kerr discussing the fit himself. Yet still, Lacob’s response featured a defense of Butler, whom they traded for at the deadline in February.
Both Green and Butler came to the defense of Warriors’ ownership and the front office over the summer amid the Kuminga contract drama, so Lacob is seemingly repaying the debt, while also making it clear that, like the fan, he isn’t happy about the team’s recent form.
Though Curry’s been playing at an All-NBA level since returning from injury, Golden State has struggled immensely to make up any ground in the West. The Kuminga situation remains over their heads, and the constant injuries to Horford and other veterans certainly haven’t helped.
Jonathan Kuminga Trade Rumors
As mentioned, Kuminga’s uncertain future hasn’t made it easier for the Warriors to get back on track through the first two months of the season. After a strong start to the year, he went out with an injury and has yet to get back to that first-few-week potential.
Most recently, Kerr has sat Kuminga for the team’s last three games, citing that he just doesn’t fit with the lineups he is putting on the court.
“Right now, it’s where things are. You saw Gui come in there for 6 minutes and lit up the crowd with his energy,” Kerr said of the 23-year-old after a recent loss. “The ball movement that was maybe the best stretch of the game for our offense, just with the flow.”
While many players can now be moved after December 15th, Kuminga is in a different boat. The Warriors will have to wait until January 15th to deal the forward, but for now, he doesn’t look to have a long-term future with Golden State.
Teams like the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns have had interest in Kuminga for a while, and hopefully, for the fan who sent the email, they can get at least a rotational player back in return for someone who hasn’t even sniffed the floor over the past week.
Through it all, Curry, amid his record-breaking performances, just wants more consistency.
“I‘m hoping we can correct that and have a sustained run of games where you know who is out there and you know what the rotations are and guys get comfortable,” the star said.
Warriors Owner Reveals True Jimmy Butler Thoughts In Fan Email