“Being in one place for my own career, and it’s like a broken record, but I know it’s really hard to do that,” Curry said. “I want to be greedy and say we can be relevant and be in the mix and give ourselves a realistic chance to win while I’m still growing these gray hairs and doing high school visits in the Bay [Area] for my daughter. It’s crazy. [It’s] just the nature of where I’m at. But yes, all that to say I love the Bay and the Bay is home and I never want that to change.”
Speaking to Kendra Andrews of ESPN, Stephen Curry speculated that the NBA’s new rules will make it difficult for another team to ever have long-term success like the Warriors.
Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson won four titles together and formed the core of their team for more than a decade. With the introduction of an additional tax apron in the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement, the roster became too expensive and too restrictive to keep together and their partnership ended last week when Thompson reached an agreement with the Mavericks.
“I don’t think [it will be replicated] just because it’s very hard to keep things together in this league,” Curry said. “A lot more player movement. Me, Klay and Draymond, we complemented each other so well for so long. We all brought something different to the table, so we’ll see. Records are meant to be broken. Dynasties come all different shapes inside of us, so we’ll see.”
Curry told Andrews that he “desperately” wanted Thompson to return to the team. However, there have been indications for several months that he wouldn’t get the offer he wanted from Golden State and was planning to explore his options in free agency. Curry also said he understands that Thompson needs a fresh start after 13 years in the Bay Area and expressed hope that he can rediscover the joy he had earlier in his career.
“It’s something that I never imagined would be a reality, but we want him to be happy,” Curry said.
Known as the “Splash Brothers” for their exceptional shooting, Curry and Thompson will be remembered as one of the most successful backcourts in NBA history. They made six trips to the NBA Finals, with Curry twice earning league MVP honors and being named Finals MVP in 2022. Curry was a 10-time All-Star during their years together, while Thompson was selected to five All-Star games.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr also participated in the interview, saying it’s odd to have Thompson playing for another franchise. He added that the feeling won’t fully seem real until the Warriors gather for training camp.
“This has become a family over the years and people have watched us grow and stay together and succeed and fail,” Kerr said. “So Klay leaves, it’s like, yeah, it’s bizarre for us, it’s bizarre for everybody. [But] everybody is given a ton of freedom here and they have to do what’s in their heart. The best thing for Klay, he needed a change.”
The loss of Thompson is part of a roster overhaul as Golden State tries to create a younger team with a smaller tax bill while still getting the most out of the end of Curry’s career. Andrews notes that Kyle Anderson, De’Anthony Melton and Buddy Hield have all been brought in this summer, and larger roles are expected for Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis.
It wasn’t the cap… The Warriors just overpaid Dray and Klay wanted the same and felt disrespected when they didn’t offer him that…
His contract with the Mavs is pretty cheap considering what Draymond is getting…
It doesn’t seem like that according to reports. His team offered the warriors a 2yr/40m deal and the dubs front office wanted to wait before signing him. He probably felt that he wasn’t wanted if they had him as second priority. People love blaming draymond for everything
Klay literally said last week that he was mad that the Warriors paid everyone else before him, including Draymond. the 4/$100 mil that Dray got is a heckuva lot more than 2/$40 mil
Klay also got 80 million dollars to play zero games while he was hurt, part of the max deal he signed when the team knew he would miss a year going into it. He wasn’t particularly good last year and should have swallowed his pride and taken a discount instead of getting all up in his feelings.
It was the new CBA which restricts clubs from paying players. Warriors lost 100s of millions in tax money last year. They had to get under the second tax tier. Other teams will be having the same problem very soon. Nuggets and Clippers had to stop paying players they want.
It’s not like teams didn’t know the new CBA was coming. It was negotiated two seasons prior to this offseason. The Warriors chose Draymond over Klay. They chose flexibility over Klay. That’s on the Warriors’ FO and on Klay thinking he’s worth more than he is.
Wrong warriors would never have signed Poole if they knew it was coming. Reason they had to trade him for CP3. It would be like why didn’t the Nuggets sign their bench players knowing the new CBA was coming. It was designed to break up teams like the warriors. You will probably not see another dynasty form under the new CBA.
Untrue and revisionist. The CBA was negotiated properly in Summer 2023, but teams knew it was coming up (because duh), and that ownership was going to push the capping system that we have now. As early as summer 2022, there were discussions of it. As early as winter 2020, there were indications that it was where the league was heading. Everybody with their fingers on the pulse of the NBA knew full well that more restrictive salary rules were going to happen at the next CBA.
They gave Poole the bag to try and extend what they had going, realized that he was a flop (and that Draymond punching him and them doing nothing to penalize him had destroyed Poole’s confidence), then traded him for a much shorter-term deal in CP3 who had more potential to help out on the court. And they got to waive CP3, ducking back into a less terrible salary situation. They knew. Every team knew, even if it was only as late as when it was actually negotiated, they had time to consider the ramifications of it. The Warriors brass thought they could extend 2022, and didn’t realize it was a miracle run, not a continuation of the dynasty.
Recheck your time lines. Pooles contract was signed before the CBA was signed. Post when Poole signed the bag. They changed the rules.
4/100 million is a steal. Sorry bro look at these salaries across the league. Jerami Grant got what? Harden got what? Draymond is a steal.
Well the Warriors offered better than 2/40 a long time ago and Klay refused. The Warriors stopped making offers at that point because they knew better and I do not blame them.
But they do share responsibility because they gave a lot of money to a lot of players that are way worse than Klay.
Nobody knew Wiggins would go back to the way he was before after being so great in the playoffs.
Draymond is extremely overpaid and he has fallen off by a lot. The worst player of the big 3 got paid more than the second best player in the big 3.
THIS
It’s like Rodman getting more money than Pippen…
Klay was just as important to the defence during the title years, but a far superior offensive player…
Add in the crazy stuff Draymond does to cause problems on his own team…
A smart team would of paid Klay more to build a good culture for the young players…
they did pay Klay, the max in fact. It was timing and in good faith the warriors offered him comparable compensation the aligned with Steph’s current contract end.
now that the dust has settled it seems like a good breakup for both parties. Klay still wants to start, Dubs can’t continue the path they’ve been on with him starting. Mavs better hope they will outscore everyone.
wrong. so wrong. if draymond plays more than 65 games this year expect him to be on all defense 1st or 2nd team.
tell me you don’t watch Dubs games huh? Draymond is without argument the 2nd most important player behind Steph.
Huh? Do you really believe that you know more about basketball than the people actually involved in the sport? Draymond is far more valuable to the Warriors than Klay. Klay’s abilities skills have clearly diminished.
Klay is a great player but I’m not sure he’s exactly what Dallas needs to win a championship. Klay defense is not what it once was and Dallas needed someone to play defense. It wasn’t because of offense Dallas lost to Boston. Can an aging Thompson really stop Tatum or Brown? Very doubtful. The Warriors won because of the offense but defense was great too.
Dallas will go back to not playing D
It was because of offense that Dallas lost to Boston. Boston scored 107 points or lower in every single game. That is great considering Boston had the best offensive rating in the NBA at 120 points a game during the season.
The Mavs had no one to come with Luka on offense. Kyrie sucked, and none of the role players could shoot a three pointer.
Plus, if the Mavs offense was better, the Celtics PPG would have been even lower than they were. Missing shots, especially 3s, gives opposing teams more opportunities to run, and causes you to play less enthusiastic defense when you cannot score.
so they’re betting on a broken and declining Klay Thompson? bold strategy.
@mlbnyyfan to add to Johnny’s comment… The lowest 5-game scoring stretch of Boston’s entire season came in the 5 games in the finals. Defense was NOT the problem for Dallas. But, I do agree that Klay seems like a totally awkward fit, and defense may become the problem moving forward, especially as he ages.
It’s totally awkward to have a real three point shooter that can keep the ball moving for Luka to kick out to on stalled drives. It’s also totally awkward to have a guy that can make opposing team’s pick between clogging the lane to limit Luka’s lobs to Gafford and Lively or leave Thompson open.
It’s not like there’s zero reason to acquire him. But, playing three defensively limited guards and doing so to add an aging guard with rapidly declining athleticism…
I agree that Klay will add a new dimension that Derrick Jones Jr couldn’t… but… I’m not sure Dallas are going to be a better team this upcoming year than last year. I could be wrong though. In fact, I hope I’m wrong.
That’s what Naji Marshall is there for, in the matchups where Klay’s defense is a liability.
So… Klay is going to be a role player that doesn’t consistently start depending on who they’re playing? Or gets taken out of the game for large stretches? Is he going to play in the 4th quarter?
I don’t think they paid Klay to sit him. He’s going to get roughly 30 minutes a game. Those 30 minutes have to work. It’s not like there’s some magic, “Klay is going to sit for the exact 18 minutes that would be a bad matchup for him” scenario.
As you see in nearly every article everyone talked about Klay needing to “be happy, find his joy again etc.” His negative attitude is the main reason the Warriors didn’t want him back for any price. It really dragged the team down and I expect him to have a better year in Dallas and for the Warriors to be better without him.
I don’t expect him to be better in Dallas, but I do agree his constant mental needs overshadowed his last few years. KD rubbed off on him like that I guess.
Klay was only negative because the team overpaid Draymond for “legacy” reasons and didn’t offer Klay the same deal…
Hard not to blame a guy when they’re willing to pay someone who punches their team mates…
found Klay’s burner
they offered Klay 2/48 in fall 2023. he declined to bet on himself, and it didn’t work out for him. he got salty and let that affect his play and the locker room, despite beating his chest his entire tenure about legacy, loyalty and being a steward for the next generation.
All of that went out the window when he felt slighted over 10s of millions after making hundreds already in his career. it is highly likely Steph may not be a warrior when his contract ends after 2026.
What does everyone think about this trade?
Jazz acquire:
Brandin Podziemski
3 future first round picks from GSW
1 future second round pick from CHI
Bulls acquire:
Andrew Wiggins
Kevon Looney
Gary Payton II
1 future second round pick from GSW
Warriors acquire:
Lauri Markkanen
Zach LaVine
Money from Utah and Chicago to ease cap space/tax apron issues
No because acquiring LaVine would mean no money to extend Markkanen.
That, and because in what world are the Warriors sending a pick for Lavine? Odds are they’re getting a pick for taking him.
Weird, because other posters are saying LaVine is worth more than that. I tend to agree with you, but wanted to get the framework down, its just a 2nd rd pick, its no big deal. “In what world” – my lord, this hyperbole! You’re talking about a 2nd round pick, calm down!!
@arc89 I literally wrote GSW acquires money for that very reason. Also you apparently don’t want to win anymore titles or want the team bad. This trade does not make GSW worse, it makes them a superteam for next season. We will easily win it all if no one gets seriously hurt.
If they trade for Markkenan means they are all in for the next 5 years for him. So until they know he is the missing piece and can resign him that is a huge gamble. If they fail in an extension they will be terrible for the next 5 years. So why would you gamble the next 5 years before you know what you have in a playoff team??? So why do you want to gamble the future 5 years for 1 player??? Clippers did with George.
Are you sure? If they lose Lauri then they could just sign FA’s to fill the roster. Also you are saying a team with Steph, Dray, Kuminga, Moody and TJD + FA’s WILL be terrible? GSW has too many players right now and appear to keep hitting on good draft picks. Maybe if they had no Kuminga and Moody your point might make sense, but they have set themselves up to win here via numerous ways, this is apparently one one them.
That offer of 3 1st round picks and Podz was a guess. Secondly there are teams out there that will out bid the warriors. You also going to need money to sign Kuminga and Moody both become RFA after next year. Either one have a break out year their pay goes way up.
This is the 10th time he has posted this.
When everyone has you muted you have to post everything 10 times…
Sorry, but this trade is pure delusion.
How many trades can you think of that involved one team acquiring two big contracts like that. You might not think $18,000,000 for Markannen is a lot, but… sitting next to $43,000,000 for LaVine…
Firstly, is it? I get it’s a longshot forsure, but I don’t actually see any type of “no, this deal cant physically work” standing in its way. Its just up to the 3 teams to agree, which they likely won’t, but likely isn’t definitely…
Wiggins+Payton+Looney’s money = LaVine’s money. It’s an equal money match. This part here you appear to ignore. Yes Zach is overpaid, that’s why I attached money going to GSW in this deal.
If anything the Podz ($3.5M) for Lauri ($18M) part is the one where GSW would have to swap more picks for money to make it work.
Yes! It really is pure delusion!
A collection of middling to worse assets does not allow you to acquire anything resembling desirable assets, and contracts like these are hard to acquire, and two such contracts being acquired in one transaction by the same team is unprecedented (to my recollection). If you can cite a comparable transaction, do so and then perhaps the conversation becomes more interesting.
If Zach Lavine is overpaid, he’s not THAT overpaid. Dude has one injury riddled year and people are writing the contract off? That’s an overreaction. 2 Seasons ago he was a 25 point scorer on 48% shooting over 77 games. This is the time to buy low, but, that doesn’t mean he’s free. 3 players nobody would want and a 2nd round pick is not worth considering for the Bulls… Why not just see if he bounces back at that point?
The deal is conceivable in the sense that you’ve somehow conceived of this deal… But, it literally has a 0% chance of occurring and a 0% chance of being accepted if offered. This doesn’t make sense for anyone except MAYBE Golden State, even then I’m not sure.
As a Warriors fan, I dont want Lavine. We already got Buddy to play the SG role and he is way cheaper (and a better pure shooter, which fits better in GSW’s system)
I would like having them both!