Pietrus exposes Warriors discontent

It’s become fashionable of late to bash the Warriors who in the past calendar year have let Baron Davis escape, dismissed  Chris Mullins and lost the loyal season-ticket holding fan who created the “We Believe” craze during the team’s amazing playoff run in 2007. Oh, and they banned mopeds.

Now comes this, adding insult to Monta Ellis’ injury, indecision and overall indigestion. Mickael Pietrus, who has become a star with the Orlando Magic in its incredible ride into the NBA Finals to play the Los Angeles Lakers, ripped his former team and coach, Don Nelson, in a story in the current issue of Sports Illustrated. It turns out Pietrus didn’t have a great timeout in Oakland.

Said Pietrus, who was a part of that “We Believe” playoff upset of the Dallas Mavericks two years ago, “With the Warriors that was the first time in my life that I really didn’t enjoy basketball.”

Granted, Pietrus was in and out of Nelson’s dog house which was reflective of the Frenchman’s inconsistent shooting and sometimes maddening shot selection, but you would have thought that being on a team that ended a 13-year playoff drought then netted the biggest first-round upset in NBA playoff history would have been fun. Pietrus’ comments in SI speak to a culture of confusion and frustration in the Warriors organization that apparently won’t change until ownership, management and/or the coaching staff is turned over.

If Pietrus is to be believed, the Warriors’ woes go much deeper and are much more complex than we have been led to believe.