NBA organizations often consult with their franchise players on major roster moves, though even in this context, Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors has shown himself yet again to be a unique sort of superstar.
Golden State tried to swing big this offseason, taking legitimate runs at a sign-and-trade deal with the Los Angeles Clippers for Paul George and discussing seriously a trade with the Utah Jazz for Lauri Markkanen that would have included Moses Moody and most of the Dubs’ tradable first-round assets over the next half decade.
Neither deal came to fruition, as George landed with the Philadelphia 76ers on a max free agency contract after opting out in L.A., while Markkanen inked a monster extension to remain in Utah and is no longer eligible for a trade until next summer. However, that didn’t leave the Warriors empty-handed after the departure of Klay Thompson to the Dallas Mavericks.
Golden State signed quality two-way guard De’Anthony Melton, sharpshooter Buddy Hield and playmaker Kyle Anderson. It’s true that the team doesn’t have a clear No. 2 star alongside Curry, but it does have one of the deepest rosters in the league and should be able to play effectively in a variety of different concepts.
As for Curry and his role in what the Warriors did, and didn’t do, in free agency, Kenda Andrews of ESPN reported that he doesn’t want final say on personnel decisions, as having it would unduly separate him from his peers in the locker room.
“Steph has said, ‘Look, I do not want to be making those decisions. It puts me in a different spot than all of my teammates. I do not want that,’” Andrews wrote on Wednesday, August 9, citing an unnamed source.
Steph Curry Still Applying Pressure on Warriors to Win Without Demanding Roster Input
But just because Curry isn’t interested in playing general manager while still in a starring role on the court doesn’t mean he intends to let the Warriors off the hook if the front office fails to keep the team competitive.
Curry, 36, has on multiple occasions put his name on public comments indicating his desire to remain in Golden State for the entirety of his career. However, he recently couched that intention with a caveat.
“I want to win,” Curry told Marc Spears of Andscape on July 24. “Let’s put it this way, it’s a long-winded way of saying that if it is a situation where you’re a bottom-feeder and it’s just because you want to stay there, I’d have a hard time with that. But I don’t think that’s going to be the reality.”
Warriors Can Return to Success in Upcoming Season, Need Draymond Green on Floor
The Warriors finished 10th in the Western Conference last season and lost the opening game of the NBA Play-In Tournament to the Sacramento Kings, thereby missing the playoffs for the third time in the past five years.
That said, the Dubs’ two previous campaigns ended in a second-round loss to the Los Angeles Lakers after winning a playoff series against the Kings in 2023, and then a championship title in 2022.
The West is potent, though an argument can be made that the Denver Nuggets got worse after losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Orlando Magic, while the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves perhaps improved only incrementally with the additions of Thompson and Rob Dillingham, respectively.
The Oklahoma City Thunder could prove a juggernaut, but they have a young roster.
All of that is to say that the Dubs could bounce back this season given their lineup versatility and depth at multiple positions. Couple that with some good injury luck and Draymond Green playing more than 55 games — most of his absences in 2023-24 came due to suspensions for physical acts of on-court misbehavior — and the Warriors could find themselves in the thick of things down the stretch.
If not, Curry has two seasons remaining on his four-year, $215 million contract and can enter unrestricted free agency following the 2025-26 campaign.
