Add The California Post on Google The internet is a wild place, but there’s one narrative we never thought we’d read in that jungle.
Should Steph Curry leave the Warriors?
After the Warriors did nothing this offseason, we can agree on one thing: The end of his career is being wasted. At age 38, he’s still one of the NBA’s best players, averaging 26.6 points (46.8% from the field, 39.3% from 3) and 4.7 assists last season.
But he doesn’t have the pieces around him to play meaningful basketball.
Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody will miss the start of the season due to injuries. Curry and Draymond Green needed reinforcements, but the Warriors declined to seriously pursue trades for Jaylen Brown and Anthony Davis — and LeBron James chose Philadelphia in free agency.
In no man’s land. In basketball mediocrity. In jeopardy of even making the playoffs in the deep Western Conference, where stars Victor Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are surrounded by an army of talent and young legs.
But we also know Curry isn’t going anywhere.
He can’t. He won’t. He shouldn’t.
Steve Kerr, who was contemplating retirement, agreed to return to Golden State for another two years in large part because of his loyalty to Curry.
Green has played with Curry his entire career and hopes to retire alongside him as a Warrior.
Curry put the Warriors on the map. He transformed a flatlining franchise into the league’s modern-day dynasty, winning four championships in eight years from 2015-2022.
Before Curry, the Warriors were an eyesore. After they selected him with the No. 7 pick in the 2009 draft, he became the greatest shooter of all time and turned his team into the league’s best show.
He transformed the game of basketball. He made it so that no square inch on the court was safe. He left our jaws on the floor. There were shimmies. There were night-night gestures. There was pure joy.
Curry is the Warriors. The Warriors are Curry.
Similar to how Kobe Bryant became forever enmeshed in the fabric of Los Angeles after spending his entire 20-season career with the Lakers, Curry’s star will forever shine brightest if he remains with the same franchise he resurrected.
Is what’s happening right now fair to Curry? No. Did the Warriors’ front office blow it for their greatest superstar in franchise history in the sunset of his career? Yes. Does Curry have every right to be frustrated? Absolutely.
But should he leave the Warriors? That’s not happening. It never will.
In an era where superstars jump to different franchises while pursuing rings, Curry stands out. He’s a lifer. He’s a rare breed. It’s unimaginable to think of him playing anywhere else.
Curry has been with the Warriors his entire 17-season career. They’ve been great to him. They believed in him. They put the pieces around him so he could shine. They celebrated him. His happiness has been palpable.
But things took a turn this offseason after the Warriors stood pat following missing the playoffs two of the last three seasons.
Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. has made it clear that the team is in win-now mode while Curry remains on the roster. They made a blockbuster trade for Butler in February 2025, which led to them closing that season on a 23-7 run and reaching the second round of the playoffs before Curry suffered a hamstring injury.
Last February, the Warriors were willing to put everything on the line to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, including their four first-round picks, but the Bucks balked at that offer.
But this offseason, the Warriors apparently had no interest in digging into their treasure chest for Brown or Davis, both of whom would’ve increased their odds of luring James onto the team.
That means Curry, who turns 39 next season and has a balky knee, essentially has to play hero ball for the Warriors to have a chance to be competitive.
It’s unfortunate. Maybe the Warriors have something up their sleeve that we’re not expecting. But as things stand, it would be surprising if they make noise next season.
Curry has made it clear he wants to be a Warrior for life. He’s eligible for a two-year, $136.7 million extension with Golden State on Aug. 27. But after the Warriors did nothing this offseason, Polymarket posted a graphic on X about his odds of leaving. They were at 6% as of July 29.
Let’s be clear: There’s no chance.
That type of loyalty should be rewarded. Sure, the Warriors have to balance prioritizing their present while preparing for their future, but they owe it to Curry to figure out a way to be competitive now.
It’s shocking they didn’t make any trades or free agency acquisitions this offseason. It’s a bummer they went all in on believing that James would take his talents to Golden State. It’s a shame they weren’t willing to make the appropriate roster tweaks to make that happen.
Now, instead of competing for a championship, Curry is going to be fighting to make the playoffs.
Still, regardless of what he’s fighting for, we know what jersey he’s going to wear.
And there’s something beautiful about that.
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