Open Letter to Golden State Warriors' Owner Joe Lacob

Dear Joe,

Five years ago, you pointed to the rafters, to the lone banner hanging in Oracle Arena and said “we want another one.” And here I am, in the summer after the Golden State Warriors’ first championship in 40 years, speaking on behalf of all Warriors’ fans. Thank you, Mr. Lacob. Thank you.

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Five years ago, you stood on the hardwood, being showered with cheers from a rabid fanbase pleading for change. Just two years after that, you stood on the same court and, in the middle of a celebration, were boo’d for making a change.

I’m going to be honest with you, Mr. Lacob. I wasn’t exactly against all of the boo’s. Monta Ellis was a fan-favorite around these parts, the Warriors were just a few games out of the playoff picture, and Andrew Bogut‘s health was less-than-promising, to put it nicely. I admit that the 16 year old me got some enjoyment out of the blatant disrespect. We all felt disrespected. We all felt like we were going to be stuck in the same vicious cycle that the previous ownership perpetuated.

For that, I am both embarrassed and sorry.

I, along with other Warriors fans, did not see your vision. I thought “couldn’t this trade have been made after this season?” I mean, how much of a market was there for an injured 7 footer? When you think of building a championship team, trading away your leading scorer doesn’t normally seem like a good idea.

Apr 27, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates with Nicole Curran (center), and co-owner Joe Lacob (right) during the first quarter in game four of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Clippers at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Clippers 118-97. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

But you knew.

You knew what you were doing when you handed the franchise over to Stephen Curry. You knew what you were doing when you brought in Jerry West as an advisor. You knew what you were doing when you gave the entire organization–not just the basketball team–a complete overhaul.

Thank you for turning the Golden State Warriors from a laughingstock to the best organization in all of the NBA.

You made the tough calls. You kept your head up through all of the negativity post-Monta Ellis. You signed your injured point guard to an extension. You hired a rookie coach. You fired that coach after three consecutive playoff appearances (a decision that, for the record, I 100% supported). You hired another rookie coach. You fought the temptation to trade for an All-Star power forward.

For that, thank you.

Over the last several years as the Warriors’ owner, you’ve been faced with countless difficult decisions and criticism. You’re not just the owner of a championship team– you, too, are a champion. You are as big a part of it as any player. You weren’t gifted a championship caliber team. You were given a perennial loser on and off the court.

Jun 16, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) celebrates with Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob and the Larry O

Except, much like Warriors fans, you hung in there. To you, this isn’t just a business. It’s more. You don’t just want to win, you need to win. That’s all we’ve ever wanted. We understand that winning every year is pretty much impossible, but contending isn’t. We’ve seen players, coaches, and executives give up on us.

Thank you for not giving up on us.

Thank you for letting basketball people make basketball decisions. Thank you for turning the Golden State Warriors from a laughingstock to the best organization in all of the NBA. The Warriors are now the standard.

Enjoy this title, Mr. Lacob. You deserve it.

Sincerely,

Warriors fans everywhere.

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Open Letter to Joe Lacob

By Carlos Murillo | Sep 9, 2015