When considering the Golden State Warriors’ lengthy history, arguably no name leaps out more than Steph Curry. Because of his outstanding shooting ability, the Warriors were able to establish a dynasty around him, as he led the team to four championships, the best era in franchise history.
Curry made his NBA debut in 2009 with Golden State. Fast forward fifteen years, and Curry is still on the team, functioning as their leader. However, it has become evident that the Warriors are no longer the dominant club they once were, even with Curry still on the roster, and this could lead to change.
Even though the Warriors are only two years out from their last championship, which Curry won as Finals MVP, times have changed. The Western Conference has improved, requiring the Warriors to adjust or remain stuck in the past.
Possibility of Separation
The recent Klay Thompson trade demonstrated that the Warriors’ dynastic core was not impervious to disruption. Thompson was an important member of the dynasty and one of the ‘Splash Brothers’ alongside Curry. But last week, he was moved to the Dallas Mavericks in a six-team deal, the first of its type and the largest blockbuster in NBA history.
Klay Thompson: Warriors legend 🏆🏆🏆🏆
End of an era. pic.twitter.com/xdPWP1fWQo
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 1, 2024
That deal demonstrated that the Warriors are no longer the dominant team on the block. They were not frightened to break up, and while Curry is unlikely to experience the same, it is not impossible.
“I mean, I can clearly say I want to be a Warrior for life,” Curry reported. “It has always been my objective, and I am expressing it from this chair right now. But, as you mentioned, life, particularly in the NBA, is a volatile atmosphere where things change quickly.
Steph Curry is in ridiculous shape
Want to be elite, get in elite shape
— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) July 18, 2024
Curry has stated several times that he wants to remain a Warrior for the rest of his career. There is no doubt that number 30 will one day hang from the rafters of Chase Center. However, whether he will wear the blue and gold in his final years in the league remains to be seen.
Wild Landscape
Curry has made it plain that he intends to stay with the Warriors indefinitely. But, as the Klay Thompson transaction shown, players are merely commodities. And if the team can find a scenario in which dumping them yields value that they consider valuable, the trigger will be pulled. No player is immune to this, including Curry.
Steph Curry is still the last MVP to have also won a championship in the same season 🐐 pic.twitter.com/diERddvMmP
— ³⁰ (@StephMuse_) July 19, 2024
And Curry understands this, admitting that the NBA landscape is a “wild environment” in which “things change quickly.” The league’s landscape has already transformed considerably in the early weeks of the offseason. Several teams have already improved, with big pieces moving around.
With that, the Warriors’ return to success will not be simple. It will be up to them to examine the situation and determine which steps make the most sense. Curry is likely to stay with the Warriors next season. However, there is a possibility that he will be donning a different team’s shirt in the coming years.
