Steve Kerr and Co.’s offense hit a wall against the Cavaliers, and it wasn’t pretty. In a brutal 113-95 loss, Golden State’s shooting woes and turnovers were too much to overcome, with Cleveland’s stifling defense leaving the Warriors reeling. Despite strong efforts on the glass, including Trayce Jackson-Davis’ career-high 16 rebounds, the Warriors couldn’t find their rhythm, marking their 13th loss in the last 17 games.

At this point, everyone knows Stephen Curry can’t carry the Warriors alone. Steve Kerr knows this. So does Joe Lacob.

Is Lacob doing everything in his power to strengthen the Warriors? Perhaps not. Curry had a tough game, managing just 11 points on 4-for-14 shooting, and some fans seem to be losing faith. While Lacob may not want to part ways with the player who has brought immense success—and profit—to Golden State, his reluctance to make bold trades might be stifling the team’s potential.

Could it be that Lacob is holding back, citing Dub Nation’s sentiment as a reason? If so, the future of the Warriors without him could be uncertain, leaving fans divided at a critical juncture.

Fans call out Joe Lacob, back their favorite star Steph Curry

One fan wrote, “Joe Lacob won his propaganda machine can’t be beaten *broken heart*”. The frustration is clear: Lacob has been notoriously reluctant to sign players who could genuinely help Curry and the Warriors’ title aspirations. It’s almost as if the front office has missed the memo on the importance of supporting Curry with the right pieces, leaving him to carry a much heavier load than necessary.

“He will not see the gates,” wrote another fan. It’s a statement on the broader issue of loyalty, leadership, and the future of the franchise. They are implying that Joe may not enjoy the ultimate success of his tenure if he continues to make decisions that alienate the team’s core, especially Curry.

However, recent moves—or lack of them—have many questioning whether Lacob’s priorities are shifting away from supporting the team’s star player.

A fan revealed which probably is Lacob’s plan. “Joe Lacob couldn’t wait for Steph to retire so he can have his narrative out there in full swing. The downfall of this franchise post-Steph will be a sight to see,” they revealed. Lacob sees Curry’s eventual retirement as the moment when he can finally push forward with his own agenda, which could involve a major shift in team philosophy or roster construction. Lacob’s decisions in recent years—particularly his reluctance to make moves that would fully support Curry’s championship window—have raised eyebrows.

The Warriors’ inability to sign or retain players that could complement Curry has many questioning if Lacob is prioritizing his own vision over the well-being of the team.

“Owner told us all that he didn’t wanna be like the Lakers and miss the playoffs for 6 years. So he been more focused on what happens after Steph than what happens with him,” wrote another fan. It highlights a critical concern among Warriors fans: Joe Lacob’s potential fixation on life after Stephen Curry, rather than maximizing the current championship window with him.

This reaction connects Lacob’s desire to avoid the fate of the Lakers during their post-Kobe Bryant era, where they faced a significant drought and multiple seasons of irrelevance before LeBron James arrived. For many, the comparison suggests that Lacob’s eyes are already set on the long-term future, neglecting the immediate potential of a team that still revolves around Curry’s prime years.

While it is true that Draymond Green and Steph are getting old, they still have some fight left in them. “This was always the plan. Delay, delay, delay until the point that Steph and Dray looked old, then turn around and say ‘they’re not good enough anymore so we can focus on the 2nd timeline,‘” wrote a netizen.

It suggests that Joe Lacob and the Warriors’ front office may have been playing the long game with a hidden agenda all along. The narrative implies that they were willing to sacrifice the prime years of Stephen Curry and Draymond Green by delaying the necessary roster moves to help them win another championship, waiting for the point where their core players aged and, in their view, no longer carried the same value.

This “second timeline” theory is particularly painful for fans, as it essentially suggests that the Warriors’ ownership prioritized a future post-Curry over the present, potentially eroding the window of opportunity for one of the greatest teams in NBA history.