Mar 6, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) stands on the court after a timeout against the Milwaukee Bucks in the fourth quarter at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
When glancing at the Golden State Warriors’ long history, perhaps no name stands out more than Steph Curry. Thanks to his elite shooting ability, the Warriors were able to build a dynasty around him as he led the team to four championships, their greatest era in franchise history.
Curry made his NBA debut in 2009 for Golden State. Fast forward fifteen years, and Curry still remains on the team, serving as their leader. But it has become clear that the Warriors are not the same dominant team they once were, even with Curry still on the team, and that could lead to change.
Even though the Warriors are only two years removed from their last title, in which Curry won the Finals MVP, times have already changed. The Western Conference has gotten better, forcing the Warriors to adapt or remain the old man stuck behind the times.
Possibility of Separation
The recent Klay Thompson trade has proven that the Warriors’ dynastic core was not immune to breakup. Thompson was a key piece of the dynasty and one of the ‘Splash Brothers’ alongside Curry. But last week, he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in a six-team trade, the first of its kind and the largest blockbuster trade in NBA history.
That trade proved that the Warriors are no longer the big bad team on the block they once were. They were not afraid of breaking it up, and although it is not likely the same happens to Curry, it is not out of the realm of possibility.
“I mean, I can clearly say I want to be a Warrior for life,” said Curry. “It’s always been my goal, and I’m saying that sitting in this chair right now. But like you said, life, and especially life in the NBA, it is a wild environment, and things change quickly.”
Curry has expressed multiple times that he would like to remain a Warrior for the rest of his career. There is no doubt that number 30 will one day hang in the rafters of Chase Center. But whether or not he will be donning the blue and gold in his final years in the league has yet to be determined.
Wild Landscape
Curry has made it clear that his intentions are to remain with the Warriors for life. But as the Klay Thompson deal proved, players are just commodities. And if the team can find a situation where offloading them returns value that they see valuable, then the trigger will be pulled. No player is immune to this — even Curry.
And Curry knows this is true, as he admitted that the NBA landscape is a “wild environment” where “things change quickly.” The landscape of the league has already shifted dramatically in the first few weeks of the offseason. Several teams have already improved with major pieces being moved around
With that, the Warriors’ path back to success will certainly not come easy. It will be up to them to assess the situation and see what moves make the most sense. It is likely that Curry will remain with the Warriors next season. But a world exists where within the next few years, he is wearing another team’s jersey.
