Steph Curry
Getty
Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors returned home to Charlotte for a game against the Hornets.
Kendrick Perkins said Stephen Curry‘s championship-winning days are finished.
The ESPN analyst appeared on First Take earlier this week and delivered a familiar verdict on Curry and the Golden State Warriors. With Curry sidelined by runner’s knee and the Warriors sitting in eighth place in the Western Conference, Perkins declared the window closed.
“The days of Steph Curry actually having a shot or winning another championship in Golden State, those days are over,” Perkins said. “Those days are over.”
There is a problem with Perkins’ prediction. He has been wrong about this before.
What Perkins Said About the Warriors
Kendrick Perkins
GettyESPN commentator Kendrick Perkins.
Perkins did not stop at writing off Curry’s championship chances.
He pointed to the Warriors’ failed pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo at the trade deadline as evidence that Golden State’s roster is flawed beyond repair. “The only hope that he had was for them to be aggressive and try to go get Giannis Antetokounmpo, and from my understanding, the Bucks wanted no part in what they were trying to offer,” Perkins said.
Then he turned his attention to the supporting cast. Jimmy Butler is out for the season with a torn ACL. His ability to return at the same level next season is uncertain. Draymond Green is no longer the player he was during the Warriors’ championship runs.
“We don’t know what Jimmy Butler at his age is going to come back looking like for us off an ACL injury,” Perkins said. “Draymond Green is done when it comes down to actually being a guy that could give you actual production, especially with the dollars that he’s making.”
Perkins wrapped his argument by acknowledging that Curry is still playing at an elite level. The 37-year-old is averaging 27.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game this season. But according to Perkins, that is not enough. “It’s a damn shame because Steph is playing at an all-time high,” Perkins said.
The Warriors are 29-27 and hold the eighth seed in the Western Conference. They acquired Kristaps Porzingis from the Atlanta Hawks at the trade deadline to address their frontcourt needs. But with Curry sidelined and Butler done for the year, the path to a championship looks difficult.
That does not mean it is impossible.
First Take
“The days of Steph Curry actually having a shot of winning another championship in Golden State, those days are over.” @KendrickPerkins shares his thoughts on whether Stephen Curry can win ring No. 5 with the Warriors 🤔
Why Perkins Has Been Wrong Before
Stephen Curry Warriors
GettyGolden State Warriors star Stephen Curry celebrates with his NBA Finals MVP trophy during the Dubs’ championship victory parade.
This is not the first time Perkins has declared Curry’s championship days over.
In 2022, before Curry signed his four-year extension with the Warriors, Perkins appeared on ESPN alongside former NFL cornerback Domonique Foxworth. When asked how many more championships Curry would win, both men held up zero fingers over their eyes. The gesture was clear. They believed Curry was finished winning titles.
Curry proved them wrong that same year. The Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics in six games to win the 2022 NBA championship. Curry won his fourth ring and his first Finals MVP award. After the victory, he addressed the doubters directly.
“I hear all the narratives: You hear everything about what we [as a team] are and what we aren’t, and what I am as a player and what I’m not,” Curry said. “I have a hard time figuring out what they’re going to say now, so this is pretty special.”
That championship should have taught Perkins a lesson. It did not.
Now, four years later, Perkins is back with the same prediction. The circumstances are different. Curry is older. The roster has changed. The Warriors are not the juggernaut they once were. But writing off Curry entirely ignores what he has proven throughout his career.
Curry has spent his entire career silencing doubters. Too small. Too injury-prone. Cannot win without Kevin Durant. Every criticism has been answered with championships, MVP awards, and performances that redefined what is possible in basketball.
CurryMuse
Steph trolling his doubters with a ‘Big Zero’ after winning another Title in 2022.
Kendrick Perkins & Domonique Foxworth both threw up zeros over their eyes to represent the number of championships they thought the Warriors would win in the next 4 years.
What the Warriors Face This Season
Jimmy Butler, Warriors
GettyJimmy Butler of the Golden State Warriors.
Perkins is not entirely wrong about the challenges facing the Warriors.
Butler is out for the season. Curry is dealing with runner’s knee and will miss at least the next five games. Green is 35 years old and no longer the defensive force he once was. The roster lacks the depth and talent it had during the Warriors’ dynasty years.
The Western Conference is also deeper and more talented than it was during Golden State’s peak. There are no easy outs. No teams taking nights off. The margin between the top seed and the play-in is razor thin.
The Warriors are a longshot. But as long as number 30 is on the floor, you have a puncher’s chance. That is what Curry has earned. The right to never be counted out completely.
Porzingis gives Golden State a dimension they have not had all season. If he can stay healthy, he provides scoring, spacing, and rim protection. Al Horford brings championship experience and defensive versatility. The supporting cast has proven it can win games when Curry is unavailable.
The question is whether Curry can return healthy and lead this team through the playoffs. His knee issue is not a long-term concern, but it requires rest and management. The latest scans confirmed no structural damage but revealed bone bruising. That means at least another 10 days before he is re-evaluated.
If Curry comes back and stays on the court, the Warriors have a chance. Not the overwhelming championship favorite they once were. But a chance.
Final Word for the Warriors
Kendrick Perkins said Stephen Curry’s championship-winning days are over.
He said the same thing in 2022. Curry won a title that year and his first Finals MVP. The prediction was wrong then. It may be wrong now.
The honest assessment is that the Warriors probably will not win a championship this season. The roster is flawed. The injuries are too significant. Butler is done for the year. Curry is 37 and battling a knee issue that will not simply disappear.
But making noise in the West? Upsetting a contender in a seven-game series? That remains possible. The Warriors have the experience and the talent to make someone’s life miserable in the playoffs. That is not nothing.
More importantly, Perkins is not talking about this season. He said Curry’s championship-winning days are over. Period. That is a different claim entirely.
Butler returns next season. Porzingis could be re-signed to a team-friendly deal if he proves he can stay healthy. The Warriors will have options in free agency and the trade market. Curry will still be Curry, even at 38. The window is not closed. It is narrow. But it exists.
You would be a brave man to doubt Steph Curry. History has not been kind to those who have.