Stephen Curry is the type of basketball talent that comes once in a generation.
‘Samurai Steph’ prepares to play for G League United as NBA journey continues ‘Samurai Steph’ prepares to play for G League United as NBA journey continuesclose
That might be one of the worst-kept secrets in the NBA world, especially after his memorable 2024 Paris Olympics. Making his Olympic debut, Curry carried the United States over the final two games, putting up a combined 60 points.
In the semifinal against Serbia, the 36-year-old scored 36 points, one away from Carmelo Anthony’s Olympic record of 37. He scored 14 of Team USA’s first 15 points, hitting nine three-pointers. In doing so, Curry became the first player to make that many threes in the Olympics during an elimination game.
He managed to outdo himself in the gold-medal-winning match against France, icing the game with a flurry of ridiculous shots. After nailing a heavily contested fadeaway three while double-teamed, the French announcers even called him the “devil”.
Curry’s Olympic performance solidified his status as an all-time NBA great, and he’s shown no signs of slowing down. He averaged a team-best 14.8 points per game for the United States, converting 47.8% (!) of his three-point attempts.
Despite Curry’s continued offensive brilliance, he’s returned from Paris to find his Golden State Warriors in shambles.
For starters, the dynasty is officially over. Sharpshooter Klay Thompson left this offseason for the Dallas Mavericks in a six-team trade after 13 seasons with the franchise. During his time with the Warriors, the team won four championships, and his departure stings, regardless of how much he regressed last year.
Golden State got back forward Kyle Anderson and shooting guard Buddy Hield in the trade, two impactful players, but both have major deficiencies on one side of the ball. Regardless of what lineup head coach Steve Kerr runs with the two of them, there will be a weak link.
Hield is one of the best shooters in the league, as he made nearly 39% of his three-point attempts, but he’s a non-factor on the defensive end. Anderson is the opposite. He’s an excellent defender but his offense was dreadful last season, as he shot under 23% from deep.
The Warriors also parted ways with veteran point guard Chris Paul. His fit with the team never materialized, but the handling of his release is perplexing. Golden State reportedly had the option to acquire former All-Star Zach LaVine from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Paul and forward Andrew Wiggins.
Instead, the Warriors let Paul walk in free agency, while Wiggins has declined drastically since his first All-Star season in 2022. LaVine wasn’t the only All-Star that the Bay Area franchise struck out. The team aggressively pursued Utah’s Lauri Markkanen, only for the Finnish big man to sign a long-term extension.
Golden State was far apart in talks with the Jazz, meaning they completely whiffed on their top offseason target. The Warriors did bring in De’Anthony Melton to replace Paul, but even that could prove to be a mistake. Melton suited up in a career-low 38 games due to injury, shooting a career-worst 38.6% from the field.
The disastrous offseason spells nothing but trouble for Curry, who’s locked up with Golden State for the foreseeable future. He recently signed an extension that will keep him in the Bay through the 2026-27 season, where he’ll earn over $62 million in his final contract year.
That sets up the superstar guard for a miserable ending with the only franchise he’s ever known, which is disappointing. Considering everything Curry has accomplished with the Warriors, it’s surprising they’re content with the current roster. His recent comments show winning is still his top priority, and the front office hasn’t done nearly enough to achieve that.
With a player of Curry’s caliber, anything is possible, but it seems like we’ve seen the last of the Warriors as one of the premier teams in the NBA.