Stephen Curry reaffirmed his belief in the Warriors’ culture last week.
Even though the team is having its toughest period since the early 2010s and the owner wants to cut costs, Curry could have chosen to chase another championship as a free agent in 2026 or ask for a trade before then.
Nobody would have blamed him for wanting to leave. Curry has been loyal to the Warriors since 2009 and deserved the option to look for a better opportunity.
Instead, he chose to stay with Golden State for another year, meaning he will remain with the team until he is 39. Some people thought this decision showed Curry was happy with his achievements and wasn’t looking for a fifth championship elsewhere. Curry himself disagrees.
In an interview with The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson, Curry said he is still focused on winning another ring and trusts the Warriors’ management to provide the help he needs.
“I’ve always said I wanted to play for one team my whole career,” Curry said. “So it’s good to get [the extension] question out of the way and give complete focus to basketball and to the season… It’s still about winning, and taking the steps necessary to give ourselves a chance. The standard hasn’t changed. The expectation hasn’t changed.”
Are the Warriors doing enough to help Curry win a fifth title?
They tried to trade for Paul George and Lauri Markkanen this offseason but failed because they didn’t want to give up Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski. Some think the Warriors made a mistake by not trading potential stars for proven players who could help Curry right away.
The Warriors had a mixed offseason. They lost longtime star Klay Thompson but added useful role players like Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson, and De’Anthony Melton.
The Warriors are expected to win 43.5 games this season, which might mean missing the playoffs for a second year in a row. It’s uncertain whether Curry’s patience will be tested in 2025.
