Stephen Curry is coming off one of the most memorable performances in basketball history, leading Team USA to an Olympic Gold Medal in dramatic fashion.
It was a vintage Curry performance — a barrage of threes, unbelievable shots in critical moments and winning on a massive stage.
But he was joined by some of the best players of all time, LeBron James and Kevin Durant, as well as a slew of the league’s top superstars in Devin Booker , Anthony Edwards , Anthony Davis , etc. Team USA also had some of the NBA’s best role players, like Jrue Holiday and Derrick White .
Now, Curry is preparing for another season with the Golden State Warriors , but he’s coming home to a much different team.
Fellow splash brother Klay Thompson now plays for the Dallas Mavericks . Curry will have to get used to running with Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson and De’Anthony Melton. Young Warriors like Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga will be counted on more than ever.
Is that roster good enough to give Curry another shot at an NBA title? At age 36, he only has so many more chances left.
Maybe Golden State’s front office has something up its sleeve, though, that could help its Hall of Fame point guard make one final championship push.
Warriors ‘Well-Positioned’ to Make Upgrade
Golden State is confident in its ability to make a splash
Unless one of the team’s free agent signings has a career year or one of its young players explodes into an All-Star, the Warriors, as constructed, aren’t prepared to win a championship, even with Curry’s heroics.
But there might be some significant help on the way at some point, per NBA insider Marc Stein on Substack.
“Team officials believe they remain well-positioned for a trade upgrade at some point in the next year or so after responding to the free agent departure of Curry’s longtime backcourt mate Klay Thompson by acquiring Kyle Anderson, Buddy Hield and De’Anthony Melton on short-term deals and retaining all of their draft picks.”
Stein notes Golden State’s failure to land Paul George or Lauri Markkanen in potential trades this summer, stating the Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz had no interest in doing business with their Western Conference rivals.
That could remain a stumbling block for general manager Mike Dunleavy: Even with the assets he has, it takes two to tango, as the saying goes. Another team would have to willingly hand over a player who would make the Warriors better.
And which stars may become available and realistic for Golden State to acquire?
There seem to be more questions than answers, even if the Warriors believe there will be some kind of answer, eventually.