The Boston Celtics traded away Jaylen Brown this offseason for Paul George and draft capital, a move that left many questioning Boston’s direction for the season ahead.
According to Sports Illustrated’s John Karalis, Celtics president Brad Stevens may have already reached out about a potential trade for Stephen Curry.
“There’s no doubt Brad Stevens has already been on the phone with the Warriors brass to pitch a deal if they want one,” Karalis wrote.
Celtics Speculation Emerges Around Warriors’ Curry
GettyStephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors
Karalis suggested Stevens may have already been in contact with the Golden State Warriors front office to gauge interest in a potential Curry deal.
“Boston has a path to making a decent deal for both sides,” Karalis wrote.
The idea represents a significant swing for a Celtics front office that’s already been aggressive this offseason. Whether Golden State has any real interest in engaging is a separate question entirely, and other reporting pushes back on the premise altogether. NBA insider Brett Siegel indicated the idea of Curry actually being traded remains unlikely at best.
“Stephen Curry won’t be traded by the Warriors and he isn’t prepared to ask for a trade,” Siegel wrote.
Why a Trade for Curry Is Unlikely
By all accounts, Curry remains fully committed to the only franchise he’s ever played for. Golden State has shown no indication it wants to move away from him either. The front office reportedly plans to offer him a maximum contract extension as soon as this August.
Curry’s production hasn’t slipped with age. At 38, he averaged 26.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists last season while shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from three, numbers that still rank among the best guards in basketball. That level of production is exactly why Golden State would prefer to keep him regardless of where the roster stands.
Golden State’s Roster Reality Complicates Things
The complicating factor is Golden State’s competitive outlook. Jimmy Butler is still working back from a torn ACL. The Warriors have leaned heavily on an aging core that finished 10th in the West last season. If that decline continues and either side starts to question the partnership, Stevens appears ready to be the one making a call.
Pairing Curry with Jayson Tatum would give Boston a legitimate second star. That would help replace the void left by Brown’s departure. It would also position the Celtics for another serious championship run in a city with no shortage of title history.
(Via @SInow)
What a Deal Would Actually Require
Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics
Making the math work would still be difficult. Curry’s contract carries an annual value north of $62 million.
Karalis suggested Boston’s realistic trade package would center on Paul George, the picks acquired from Philadelphia, and Sam Hauser going out for Curry. He indicated the Celtics might try to keep one of their two Sixers picks, but noted he’d be comfortable seeing Boston give up both in exchange for what would still be a strong long-term return for the final years of Curry’s career.
The Celtics currently hold up to five first-round picks to trade, giving Boston real flexibility if a deal for Curry ever became realistic.
George’s inclusion would primarily serve to match salary, according to Karalis, while Hauser’s presence would give Boston a currently useful player so the team isn’t left tanking too hard under new lottery reform rules, and would also help keep Boston under the luxury tax.
Karalis noted two conditions would need to be met for the deal to work: Boston would have to wait until September 6, since George’s salary can’t be aggregated with another player’s for 60 days, and the front office would need real confidence that Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, or Jordan Walsh, likely at least two of the three, could step into significant roles on the wing.
Final Word for the Celtics
A trade for Stephen Curry remains a serious long shot. Brett Siegel made that even clearer, with Curry neither being shopped nor looking to leave. But Brad Stevens has built a reputation as one of the league’s sharper executives. The speculation alone suggests Boston isn’t content to simply rebuild quietly around Tatum.
Long shot or not, it’s a storyline worth watching.
Celtics Get Stephen Curry Update Amid Trade Speculation