It is all starting to happen in Golden State. It feels like the franchise is transitioning quickly from a forgettable season to a memorable offseason.
The Warriors are ready to go all-in one more time as the final years of Stephen Curry’s NBA career are upon them.
That means getting the 38-year-old some major help. Fast.
That help may come in a big way this offseason.
According to ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel, the Warriors remain committed to their long-standing goal of pairing Curry with LeBron James. If they succeed, the Warriors are also expected to pursue another star to build a new Big Three.
Any scenario for James to join the Warriors in free agency would result in him taking a significant pay cut and signing for the mid-level exception, which would also mean Green opting out of his contract and signing for significantly less to allow the team to add one of his close friends,” Sigel wrote on ClutchPoints.com. “In the small chance that Golden State could ultimately pull this off over the next seven weeks leading up to free agency, the organization would further look to strengthen their immediate championship outlook by going all-out for [Kawhi] Leonard, Kevin Durant, or a different experienced superstar, sources said. Waiting for [Jimmy] Butler to return from his ACL injury after possibly adding LeBron would not be the scenario in play.”
Is a Big Three a Good Idea for the Golden State Warriors?
Recent NBA history would scream no.
A few seasons ago, the Los Angeles Lakers tried adding a 32-year-old Russell Westbrook to the duo of James and Anthony Davis.
On paper, the trio looked powerful enough to lift the Lakers to a title contending stats alone. Instead, Los Angeles missed the playoffs. As a matter of fact, it finished with a sub .500 record.
James, Curry and Durant (or Leonard, if the Warriors decide to pursue him) are still elite, yes, but a few steps past their primes.
GettySAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 25: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors embrace on the court before warming up prior to the start of their game at Chase Center on December 25, 2024 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
In a league with teams increasingly fixated on tremendous depth, athleticism at the wing positions and a go-to superstar, the NBA is far from the Big Three era it was in several seasons ago when James, Curry and Durant were at their best.
The top team in the NBA, the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, have unearthed a new blueprint, and it starts with depth for days.
In a scenario the Warriors try pairing three of the league’s elite old-timers, it would likely come at the expense of a strong supporting cast.
An older roster with lacking depth is not a recipe for success.
What if it is Just to Make a Wish Come True?
GettyStephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors speaks to LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers during a timeout
Siegel also noted Draymond Green, the other luminary of the Warriors 2010s dynasty, would need to take a sharp pay cut just to allow the Warriors to make wiggle room to add James.
Would Green accept that? And even if he does, would pairing James Curry and Green be done just to allow three close friends to share the court before the end of their careers?
That may be. But Curry, ever the competitor, has made it clear he wants to win a fifth championship. If the Warriors can’t add pieces around Curry and James, it will be hard for them to leapfrog teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets, much less the Thunder, in the Western Conference standings.
Report: Warriors Targeting Two Marquee Stars to Pair With Stephen Curry