Getty Stephen Curry during an April 16 loss to the Sacramento Kings.
The Warriors are not doing enough to help Stephen Curry win his fifth NBA championship. That is the opinion of popular ESPN analyst Stephen A Smith, who has also implied that head coach Steve Kerr could be the reason stars are not lining up to join Curry in the Bay Area.
Looking ahead to the 2024-25 NBA season — where the Warriors are projected to win 43.5 games and miss the playoffs for a second consecutive year — Smith called out the franchise for not providing Curry with a more talented roster. Speaking on the August 30 episode of “First Take” on ESPN, he pointed to the Warriors’ failure to acquire Paul George or Lauri Markkanen — two All-Stars they attempted to add in the 2024 offseason but struck out due to their unwillingness to match the asking price.
“Why couldn’t they get Paul George?” Smith wondered. “Why can’t they get another superstar to pair with Steph Curry? Especially in the aftermath of Kevin Durant’s departure? Maybe you didn’t feel the need to add anybody — I get that part — because Klay Thompson is Klay Thompson, and I still believe in that brother. And Draymond is Draymond, a future Hall of Famer player.”
“…But, I’m still looking at the organization as a whole — specifically Steve Kerr — and I’m saying, ‘How come we can’t get this brother any additional help?'”
Is Steve Kerr to Blame?
Smith continued, “We’re talking about a Steph Curry that still looks like he’s in his prime. Still the greatest shooter on the planet, still good for 25 [points] a game. Why the hell can’t you get him [help]? He’s one of the nicest guys on the planet. Teammates love him. The organization loves him. The city has deified him.”
“…Why in the hell can’t you get somebody worth noting to come and play with this brother? …You would think people would clamor to do so [play alongside Curry and Draymond Green]. I don’t know if that has been the case.”
Smith said he was “looking at Steve Kerr” while implying that superstar players were not eager to play for the Warriors head coach.
In response to Smith’s take, Brian Windhorst suggested that Curry could seek a trade if the Warriors fail to get him superstar-level help ahead of the 2025 trade deadline. Windhrost felt that Curry’s contract extension — which will keep him in Golden State through the 2026-27 season — was a telltale sign. However, Smith refused to buy that theory and once again called out the Warriors front office for not helping Curry.
Curry is Happy to Remain a Warrior
Soon after signing the contract extension in August 2024, Curry reiterated his desire to remain a Warrior for life. The comments echoed his previous comments about wanting to retire with the franchise that drafted him No. 7 overall at the 2009 NBA Draft.
“It’s not different from my perspective,” Curry told The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson about his expectations from the Warriors after the contract extension.
“You have an appreciation for the position and the opportunity and the support from people who’ve been with you on the journey. I’ve always said I wanted to play for one team my whole career. So it’s good to get (the extension) question out of the way and give complete focus to basketball and to the season.”
Curry also voiced his confidence in the Golden State front office eventually bringing him help to contend for a title.
“It’s still about winning,” Curry said, “and taking the steps necessary to give ourselves a chance. The standard hasn’t changed. The expectation hasn’t changed.”
Curry — a former four-time NBA champion — will turn 39 during the final year of his contract with the Warriors, in 2026. The sharpshooter did not disclose if the 2026-2027 season would mark the end of his storied career.
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