One of the major reasons Stephen Curry signed a one-year $62.6 million max extension with the Golden State Warriors is his strong belief in their efforts to get him a co-star to go for another title.
According to The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson, Curry was privy to all of the Warriors’ offseason moves, including their failed attempt to land nine-time NBA All-Star wing Paul George.
“Curry recruited Paul George,” Thompson wrote. “So Curry is aware of what was in the Warriors’ control and how much of their whiffs were creditable to their rivals.”
The Warriors’ only chance to land George was via sign-and-trade.
However, the Clippers disagreed with the Warriors’ terms and let George walk in free agency. Ultimately, George signed a four-year, $212.5 million max contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Paul George Reveals Warriors Trade ‘Close to Being Done’
After his move to the Sixers that catapulted Philadelphia into one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference, instead of lifting the Warriors back into the title contention, George revealed it would have been “dope” to play with Curry and Draymond Green and stay on the West Coast.
“That was a real thing. That [being traded to the Warriors] was close to being done. That deal was close to being done from what I was being told on the situation,” George detailed on a July 8, 2024, episode of “Podcast P.” “They were expressing just how much they wanted me there. How I could have fit in perfectly with Draymond [Green], Steph [Curry]. [Brandin] Podziemski, [Jonathan] Kuminga, [Andrew] Wiggins. They didn’t know how or what package was going to be there to trade for me.
George said he was intrigued to play for the Warriors and considered it a win-win situation to play for such a great team and stay near home. But where he ended up is also a good situation where there is an opportunity to contend.
“I think Steph is a unicorn, one-of-one player, and Joel’s [Embiid] a unicorn, one-of-one player,” George added. “So, it was kind of like a good situation to be in the middle of, but ultimately the deal didn’t go through. I think [the] Clippers didn’t want a certain trade deal that [the] Warriors were willing to give and yeah, it just didn’t happen, but it was close. It was close.”
Warriors To Remain Active in the Trade Market
In July, Warriors owner Joe Lacob expressed the Warriors will continue to be aggressive in trying to extend the team’s championship window with Curry.
“Are there trades that are being discussed all the time? Absolutely,” Lacob said on the “TK Show” podcast on July 26. “It’s one of those things where you have to find the right partner at the right time and you have to sort of agree that this is going to work for both parties.
We’ve been looking at things since the draft and free agency here, various trades. And frankly, that isn’t something that ends tomorrow or anytime in the next few weeks.”
After missing out on George, the Warriors also engaged the Utah Jazz in trade talks for Lauri Markkanen. But the Jazz held firm and asked for the bulk of the Warriors’ young players and draft capital. Markkanen eventually signed a five-year, $238 million extension to remain with the Jazz.
“I think there are other names out there that are significant players that, if they want to play for the Warriors and we felt we had the right package … and we can convince the other team, and the player, then they’re conceivable to do. We’re going to keep trying,” Lacob said.
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Steph Curry ‘Recruited’ $212.5 Million Star to Join Warriors: Report