Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images
Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Mike Dunleavy Jr. is doing everything he can to give Stephen Curry another shot at a championship with the Golden State Warriors. Both Curry and Draymond Green have brought four banners to the Bay Area and will be hoping for a fifth before calling time on their careers.
However, Curry and Green are aging stars in the NBA. As such, Dunleavy cannot build the same type of team that dominated during the earlier years of their careers. Jimmy Butler has already joined the franchise, adding some rim pressure and perimeter defense to the mix. The front office must now find a viable big man to help anchor the paint and control the glass.
Nevertheless, the Warriors shouldn’t feel like they’re too under pressure to win in the coming season. Sure, Curry is drawing closer to retirement, but according to his dad, Dell Curry, that decision is still a while away.
“I think it’ll come down to—not necessarily his skill, or what he can do in a game in the season. “I think it’s a matter of, can he go through the rigors of preparing himself to play in an NBA season? I know when I retired, that was a big factor,” Dell Curry told D.J. Siddqi of RG. “…He still loves the game. He’s a competitive guy. He wants to win another title, so we’re not even close to that window yet. But when the time comes, I think he’ll make the right decision.”
Curry played in 70 games last season, averaging 24.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 6 assists. He shot 44.8% from the field and 39.7% from 3-point range.
Curry’s Skill Means he Can Play For Years to Come
During the same interview, Dell Curry explained why the Warriors star could continue to play deep into his forties. However, Steph Curry would likely need to accept a role change at some point.
“Absolutely, just because he can shoot the basketball, and he’s going to require attention,” Dell Curry told Siddiqi. “Even if you put him in the corner at 40, 41 years old, you have to guard him. That means that he’s creating space for other guys around him. If you can shoot the basketball, there’s a team that can use you in today’s NBA. But if you’re Steph Curry, I think you’re going to be able to play until you say, ‘I’m done.’”
Both Curry and Green have skill sets that can circumvent the aging process to a degree. Nevertheless, it’s unlikely we’ll see them overstay their welcome in the NBA. In fact, another championship run could expedite their decision to bow out of the league.
Warriors May Need to Trade Kuminga
It’s clear that Golden State neess to upgrade it’s big man rotation. However, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, that could mean parting ways with Jonathan Kuminga, as re-signing him would remove the franchise’s flexibility this summer.
“It all depends on Kuminga,” Marks said via the “Willard & Dibs Show.” “He basically controls free agency in Golden State… If they sign him to a contract and bring him back, then that’s really it as far as what they can do in the offseason.”
Given Kuminga’s inconsistent role within Steve Kerr’s rotation and the desire to contend in the short term, Kuminga could be allowed to leave for the right price. Whether that happens in free agency or in the coming years will remain to be seen.