Kerr addresses leaked email from owner Joe Lacob that referenced "coaches desires regarding players."
The Golden State Warriors are going through a tough stretch this season, and frustrations have boiled over into the public eye after an email exchange between owner Joe Lacob and a fan was leaked online.
Head coach Steve Kerr addressed the situation on Tuesday and made it clear that he is not worried about any internal conflict.
"Not a big deal," Kerr said when asked about the email. "Imagine if everyone's emails were posted publicly, how tough that would be to live our lives. Joe supports me. I support him."
The Email Exchange
The leaked email came just minutes after the Warriors' 136-131 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night, a game where Stephen Curry scored 48 points but still saw his team fall short.
A fan named Justin Dutari sent Lacob a critical message expressing his frustration with the team and questioning whether Curry needed to score 50 points every night just to win, while also pointing out that Jimmy Butler III was being underutilized.
Lacob responded quickly and candidly, writing: "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."
The phrase "coaches desires regarding players" put a spotlight on Kerr, who has held firm to his unique offensive system built around the strengths of Curry and Draymond Green throughout their 12 seasons together, even if it does not always fit the ideal system for the younger players on the roster.
Kerr Faces Criticism This Season
The email leak comes at a difficult time for Kerr, who has already been critical of his own performance this season.
After the loss to Portland, he admitted that he was not doing his job well and took responsibility for the team's struggles in close games.
"We gave up 24 points off turnovers, so we've got to find a way to connect the game," Kerr said after Sunday's loss. "That's my job. I'm not doing my job well this year."
The Warriors currently sit at 13-14 on the season and hold the eighth spot in the Western Conference, which would put them in the play-in tournament if the season ended today.
They are 5-9 in clutch games this year, and the constant lineup changes have led to inconsistent play, with Kerr having used 15 different starting lineups in 27 games.
Mutual Support Remains
Despite the public nature of the email and the criticism that followed, Kerr stressed that his relationship with Lacob remains strong and that everyone in the organization is feeling the same frustration.
"We're all frustrated," Kerr said. "Joe is frustrated. I'm frustrated. Steph and Dray, everybody's frustrated. This is kind of how the league works."
Kerr is in the final season of his contract and announced during training camp that he was not seeking an extension, preferring to let the season play out before discussing his future with the franchise.
Both Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy have voiced their support for Kerr, and Curry has stated that he wants Kerr to remain as head coach beyond this season.
The Warriors will look to get back on track when they face the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night.