3-Team Trade Pitch Would Swap Steph Curry for All-Star Forward

The Golden State Warriors are in a holding pattern, while Steph Curry enters the tail end of his prime. If they can’t find common ground, the two sides could part ways via trade.

X, formerly known as Twitter, is abuzz after Curry removed the Warriors from his Instagram bio.

After playing with LeBron James in the Paris Olympics — and winning gold medals to boot — fans are wondering if the long-rumored team-up is finally in the cards.

But if Curry and James are looking to join forces on the Los Angeles Lakers, they’ll need a third team to help facilitate.

Golden State receives: Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, D’Angelo Russell

Los Angeles receives: Curry, Moses Moody

New York Knicks receive: Anthony Davis

The trade would require first-round compensation from both the Knicks and the Lakers. But in a trade involving Curry, it would be a pick of the litter for the Warriors.

He averaged 26.4 points, 5.1 assists, and 4.5 rebounds in 74 regular-season appearances with Golden State last year.

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Julius Randle Gives Warriors Value Now and Later

In any trade that sees Curry leave, it’s hard to know whether the Warriors would prefer a hard reset and rebuild, or maintaining a playoff roster. Randle would allow them to toe both timelines.

Alongside a young core of Brandon Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga, the two-time All-NBA forward would provide a nucleus. Randle can serve as a point forward, an offensive hub, that Golden State can develop young talent around.

He averaged 24 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 5 assists in 46 regular-season appearances with New York last season.

Randle, like Curry, is eligible for an extension. But no deal is imminent, according to SNY’s Ian Begley.

“The Knicks and Randle can agree to an extension at any time between now and June 30,” Begley reported on August 16. “Based on how things have played out since Aug. 3, it seems like neither side is in a rush to get something done.”

A prove-it year for Randle, amid the Warriors’ transition away from the Curry era could benefit all parties. Golden State could simultaneously boost his trade value, while he boosts his market value, and help to develop their young core.

Robinson and Russell represent less sure, but similar avenues as veteran players under contract.

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Steph Curry is Extension Eligible, Without a Co-Star

Curry’s activity on Instagram doesn’t mean a trade is imminent. It almost never has in the history of professional athletes and their social media activity.

But there’s also Golden State’s failed swing at a trade for James to consider.

They made an approach to the Lakers at last season’s trade deadline, and according to John Hollinger of The Athletic, had Curry’s blessing.

“Curry had given a thumbs-up to the idea, which reflects a level of comfort between the two even before they worked so beautifully together en route to Olympic gold,” Hollinger reported on August 13.

After losing Klay Thompson to free agency, the Warriors have struck out in two trade ventures: one for Lauri Markkanen, and the other for Paul George, who elected to join the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency.

The 36-year-old star is also eligible for an extension. Though according to Anthony Slater, no deal is imminent for Curry.

“He [Curry] flew back from Paris a few days ago and plans to unplug from basketball-related business for a few weeks,” Slater reported on August 15. “So any contract conversation isn’t expected to take place in the near future, league sources said.”

Curry can add one year and $62.6 million to his current deal, which runs through the 2025-2026 season.

But if he becomes more invested in the idea of playing with James, or next season starts off slow, things could come to a head in the Bay. Stranger things have happened in the player empowerment era of the NBA.

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