After telling reporters earlier this week that he doesn’t want the Warriors to make a “desperate” trade that compromises the team’s long-term future for short-term gain, Stephen Curry clarified on Wednesday that his comments don’t mean he’s content playing on a .500 team that’s not trying to improve.
“Anyone who thinks I’m OK being on an average basketball team is insane,” Curry said, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “Take whatever I said, I still stand on it. But that doesn’t mean we’re not in a situation where we are trying to get better, make appropriate moves that help you do that. (General manager) Mike (Dunleavy Jr.) knows that. We’ve talked about it. That’s the expectation from me. It doesn’t mean you’re reckless.”
As Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports, Dunleavy and the Warriors are indeed exploring their options on the trade market, with a focus on upgrades in the frontcourt rather than on the wing. Golden State has looked into centers like Nikola Vucevic, John Collins, Jonas Valanciunas, and Robert Williams, according to Scotto, who says the odds of the team making a trade for a forward like Jimmy Butler or Cameron Johnson have decreased.
While the Warriors want to give Curry and Draymond Green a chance to compete for another title, they won’t mortgage their future to make it happen, Scotto writes, adding that the front office still remains reluctant to part with forward Jonathan Kuminga.
Here’s more from Scotto:
- Following up on the trade market for centers, Scotto says some NBA executives believe the Bulls could land a first-round pick in a deal for Vucevic, who is having a strong season in Chicago. The Wizards and Trail Blazers are expected to command second-rounders for Valanciunas and Williams, respectively, while Collins’ value is hard to pin down, Scotto notes, given the $26.6MM player option the Jazz big man holds for 2025/26.
- Rival executives who spoke to Scotto are monitoring Bucks wing Pat Connaughton as a trade candidate, since Milwaukee could duck below the second tax apron and create more roster flexibility by moving off of his $9.4MM salary. Connaughton is having a down year and holds a $9.4MM player option for ’25/26, so the Bucks would have to attach draft picks and/or cash to move off of him. While the Bucks can’t trade cash as long as they remain above the second apron, they could do so in a trade that moves them below that threshold.
- After trading for Nick Richards, the Suns are expected to continue gauging Jusuf Nurkic‘s trade market and trying to figure out a Butler deal as they seek out win-now upgrades, Scotto writes. Scotto points out that role players Royce O’Neale and Grayson Allen would both have positive value as trade chips, but there has been no indication that Phoenix would have interest in moving either player.
Some sport writers are just not happy that Curry said don’t make big gamble trades that will hurt the teams future. Those 1st rounders will be valuable in the future. Guess it hurts their click bait articles like Butler or Giannis to the warriors.
The Warriors got super lucky they got a low maintenance star in Curry compared to other big time stars.
Only thing that we don’t know about the rest of the Warriors season is whether or not they’ll make the play in.
True Clay. The way they’re playing right now It looks like they won’t. This trading deadline February 6 will be very interesting not only for the Warriors, but for a bunch of teams.
I’ve got my fingers crossed things work out for the Warriors. But wow, what a tumultuous season so far.
“The way they’re playing right now It looks like they won’t.”
Draymond, Steph and Kuminga have barely played together this year, but when they have, they cooked. Get them healthy, GSW will be easily top 8 – all they need are 2 more bigs, MDJ getting any 2 of the 4 mentioned in this article will turn this season around and send GSW back into the top 4 where Curry belongs.
Don’t forget Warriors have easier schedule in West than any team but OKC.
Aristotle, let me try to explain.
The Warriors are not good.
I think if they can land any decent stretch big, it’ll do wonders for the team.
2024-25 FIRST HALF IN REVIEW: REASONS FOR HOPE
THE BAD:
1. the 5 new players not helped: Schroeder, Hield, Anderson, Melton (injury-prone), & Waters
2. the 12-13 man rotation failed
3. Moody and Podz have underperformed
THE GOOD:
1. Wiggins having his best NBA season — great defensively, 20.6 ppg in 29 mpg, 39% from 3
2. Kuminga is emerging, 23 pts per 36 mins, has gained Kerr’s trust with improved decisions and playmaking
3. TJD is maturing. At worst, a solid rotation player. At best, an average NBA center
4.,5. Steph and Draymond are as expected.
This happens to be the starting 5 that Kerr announced at end of pre-season, two days before announcing the 12-13 man rotation.
ANALYTICS
Models show that more than any other NBA coach in the first half, Kerr played his worst players at the expense of better available players (likely a consequence of a 12-13 man rotation.) Models indicate that, on its own, this caused 3-7 unnecessary losses.
Kerr had this same problem in the 1st half of last season, but he corrected at the 1/2 way point, and GSW had the 2nd best record in the league in the second half (after BOS). Still, the correction was too late, and we missed the playoffs.
Analytics indicate these corrections for our 2nd half:
1. Increase Wiggins’ minutes from 29 to 34-36
2. Increase Kuminga’s minutes from 26 to 34-36
3. Reduce Waters’ and Moody’s minutes
GSW has the 2nd easiest 2nd half schedule (after OKC). If Kerr plays the right guys, Steph and Dray play 80% of the games, and Kuminga is back by Feb 5, we project to win 45-46 games.
As of this moment GS has the 24th easiest schedule going forward.
OKC-25th easiest.
Boston 27th easiest.
link to tankathon.com
And if anyone is interested, the basketball power index projects 40 wins for GS. link to espn.com
Claydagoat, I will try to explain:
ESPN’s forecast is based on a “time series” model, meaning it uses only historical data to predict the future.
The analytics models incorporate “exogenous” variables, meaning you can get different forecasts by changing those variables.
The analytics models predict 41 GSW wins if none of those exogenous variables change, i.e, they will have similar forecast to a time series model.
Consider the mix of player minutes as an “exogenous variable” in the analytics model. if you read my post, what I said the analytics model points to an opportunity to win more games by with changing the way that Kerr uses his players (the exogenous variable).
Making this kind of change was exactly what Kerr did after the first half last year, which led to the Warriors winning more remaining games than the time series forecast predicted.
Of course, Kerr may not do this, in which case the ESPN model and the analytics model would have the same result.
So youre saying 46 wins?
I will try to explain.
You’re a homer.
Claydagoat – I’m going to assume that either this model stuff is over your head (which I doubt) or that you simply haven’t read what I said.
For the record, no, I did not say 46 wins. I discusssed how a model shows how a change in coaching could improve from the expected 41.
Yeah, forget ESPN, let listen to Aristotle, the guy with way too much time on his hands.
Claydagoat, You have the meanings of “easiest” and “hardest”reversed.
TL;DR : GSW has the 2nd easiest remaining schedule in the West. OKC has the easiest.
When a team has a higher strength of schedule (SoS), that means it’s the “hardest”, not the “easiest”.
GSW’s’ SoS is .489, or 24th hardest in the league and 14th hardest in the West. (Or, 6th easiest in the league, and 2nd easiest in the West.)
OKC’s SOS is .488, or 25th hardest in the league and 15th hardest in the West. (Or, 5th easiest in the league, and 1st easiest in the West.)
The Knicks have the highest SoS in the league at .525, which means they have the 1st hardest (and 30th easiest)
Yes, I didn’t express myself correctly, but I obviously knew that. Good job spending a lot of time on the explanation though.
It is fascinating to me how people assume the worst in situations such as this as opposed to assuming a miscommunication.
It was more than obvious what you were trying to say,
Goat, It doesn’t look like you obviously knew that. And that’s why others also responded as they did to correct you.
If so, why would you phrase your post to state the opposite of what I said in my message, which you directly responded to?
You obviously intended it as a correction. Otherwise you would have either re-stated it the way that I (correctly) stated it, or not offered the information at all.
Goat you don’t understand what SoS means. Everything you say is the opposite of true.
Oh my goodness, how totally humliating! I didn’t write my comment in a clear way.
“everything you say is the opposite of true”
What a wordsmith,
@Claydagoat , the tankathon link says you are wrong. You should fix this info if you can.
Oh yeah, so humiliating. What am I ever going to do?
Thanks for being so smart and helping me.
You should delete your comment so people don’t know you care so much about Internet forums.
Where is Wiggins averaging 20.6ppg? Is this for the last 15 games or something?
Brabo, my bad… it’s 20.6 for 36 mpg, and 16.8 for his actual 29 mpg.
I was trying to show Wiggins stats in the same context as Kuminga’s, which is for the 34-36 mpg that I believe both should be playing.
Let me try to explain. You messed up.
Right, as I stated.
Come on, None of these guys is worth 1 First and expiring contracts.
Nikola Vucevic, John Collins, Jonas Valanciunas, and Robert Williams
Yes, 1 First and bad contracts
Curry small regression (still pretty damn good) with all the non scorers in the rotation make it tough some nights for them. Melton injury hurt a lot. They pivoted well to Schroeder. Probably were counting on more from podziemski. If they did a trade i would hope for some sort of consolidation to make the rotation a little smaller and have more of an idea who to play from game to game. I get holding onto the youth unless they can get someone who really moves the needle. Them making the playoffs probably depends on if Phoenix gets better or if the spurs decide to make a trade for players. I live in California and get all the warriors games so I hope it works out for them.
Curry hasn’t regressed at all, his crappy Decembers are annual. Check his numbers in March, you’ll see.
Wish I could agree with you Davey but I have notice Curry’s defense is not as good and he gets tired more due to age.
@arc Curry has had knee problems all season long. Whether it age related is unknown.
You got to expect him to slow down a little with age. Notice Green slowed down a little this year too. He was the hardest to guard in the NBA because of his movement on the floor. Watch the next game how he is not in constant motion like before.
Draymond Green slwowed down 5 years ago and it has only gotten progessively worse.
Warriors should take on Zach LaVine if the price is right. Warriors need second scorer.
Price is right = No draft picks are needed
Wiggins, Anderson and Payton for LaVine and tiny fillers
Zach LaVine remaining contract: 3 years $137 million
While I agree that the Dubs need a second scorer. The Bulls would hang up the phone call with this offer. Heck the Warriors would only entertain this call if the Bulls were the ones offering a 1st rounder due to the amount of Lavines contract
Trading Wiggins would destroy the Warriors, unless for another 3&D wing. Wiggins has been a great scorer this season and his defense is great, they won a title with him as the second best player. If they are serious about winning they should look to trade Draymond before Wiggins.
Wiggins also has great contract and he’s still young. No way Warriors find a better wing for $25 million.
Also he is playing better because he is getting more PT. Give him more PT for frickin sake.
If anyone watched last nights game, they saw in real time how bigs stay big as the game goes on. Wolves shot horribly in the 1Q, then beat GSW every quarter by more and more until the game ended with them 1 point short. Another game GSW failed at blowing out when they had multiple chances too and couldn’t and almost lost them the game. It’s absurd at this point how Kerr refuses to play both TJD and Looney at the same time, especially at the end. If I ran the Warriors I would build the roster with less guards and tell Kerr to unleash some Twin Towers action, you know, like what Kenny is doing in Cleveland right now???
If GSW can acquire two of Vucevic, Collins, Valanciunas or Williams, they become a serious contender again. Remember, regardless of how badly they’re playing right now (without half their team) its still a .500 team, which is a fine baseline to improve on. Problem is, Warriors front office and HC are balking at improving it because they believe Brandin Podziemski is the next Lebron James, when he’s likely the next GP2 or Pat Beverly. Podz is a project player who might be a decent bench/rotation PG piece in 2-5 years, but the ceiling is so low, his game IQ is maybe the worst in the league. No offensive or defensive profile to speak of and he’s not working on it, he’s learning nothing out there and even worse, his shots aren’t falling.
I love Moody but he’s in the same boat – like Podz, he’s very young still, but unlike Podz, Moody’s poison pill contract means he will be on the team past the deadline, then immediately shopped the second his extension kicks in. Then they could feasibly trade Moody for an expiring guy like Fox, Sabonis or Hartenstein 1-1 straight up (although realistically they’d need to add picks/more assets), or used as big money in a package for another superstar-level guy. I think that’s the overall plan here: wait now, and save up for Giannis or KD. Problem is, they can do both, as getting 2 of those 4 only costs draft picks and like, Lindy Waters. The fact we’re 2 weeks out from the deadline and GSW still isn’t pressuring the Bulls on Vooch yet is making me sick to my stomach…how many more losses do they need to prove it to them that they need bigs to win??
Jackson Davis and Looney together Lmfao. Goodbye offense
The only way twin towers works today is if one of them can shoot the three.
And in the modern game, your five can shoot the three also. But if you’re going to play a dinosaur, then the other tower has to be mobile, have a dribble game, and be a great shooter.
You see it with Evan Mobley you see it the other night with Chris Boucher, and you see it with Chet.
Gary.I agree. Cleveland has bigs that are rare.
Davey,
Moody for Fox or Sabonis? No one even should have to reply to that.
GaryRedSoxxWarriors
Allen career 17% 3pt shooter.
Mobley career 31% 30pt shooter.
Mobley shooting it a bit better this year but his mechanics are terrible. He’ll cool down
Yes, good call. Im on board with your opinion here. But being able to fling it from 3 is necessary to play twin towers in today’s game. This is not 1984 with Olajuwan and Sampson, though Sampson’s athleticism helped make it happen.
You’re definitely not gonna play Ewing and Shaq together that’s for sure.
What do you think of the examples of Chris Boucher and Chet and maybe even Pascal Siakam at 6-11 being twin towers with Miles Turner and making it work because he can shoot a three. Actually they both can lol.
Collins and Vucevic is a good move. They fit well imo. Just don’t see how they do it. Vucevic is a big upgrade. And he fits well on this team. He’s the one they should go after.
Agreed Al. With Vooch and Green they would have some terrific low post passing and Vooch is shooting 3s well this year. Green compensates well for Vooch’s weaknesses on defense.
Curry’s statements are unassailable, but mostly pointless. Nobody, on or involved with any team, is in favor of reckless trades, as such (except maybe PHX). Whereas, almost every team (that isn’t tanking) is looking to make trades to improve from their current positioning. That’s FO business as usual. The odds of business as usual producing another true contender in Curry’s window are slim, at best.
@DXC “The odds of business as usual producing another true contender in Curry’s window are slim, at best.”
So you think Kuminga is closer to a bench piece/flop than a star? Many do not agree.
All it takes is one breakout (and there’s like 6 guys who feasibly could) and the picture becomes clearer about how to build this team and as we saw in 2022, they went from worst in the league in 2020 to a title in 2022. Honestly getting Vooch would probably be the bare minimum that could put GSW back into the top 6. Adding 2 bigs would really change things up in an even better way. If we all scream at Kerr to ditch small ball and build Twin Towers rotations like Kenny is doing, then they might surge back into ring contention again.
Davey~ What if they added 3 Bigs?
Would global warming disappear ?
Hunger would be stopped
We’d have world peace.
Davey, you might want to delete that message in response to DXC.
When you’re wrong, he will hand it to you in a large way and it’s not fun.
He’s polite, but you walk away with your tail between your legs. Don’t risk it Davey, delete your message while you still can. You still have 3 minutes lol
Davey — Nothing I said involved Kuminga, specifically. Or Kerr, or anything else your post involves.
FYI, a thoughtful rebuttal to my post would be one that indicated you believe that GSW taking a “business as usual” approach will give them a good chance (as opposed to slim chance) to produce another contender within Curry’s window, and your reasons. Maybe, one of these days, you should try that vs your normal approach.
“Except for Phoenix” lol. Yup exactly.
But yes, this is what I’m afraid of. We’ve reached the end of the line and it’s time to rebuild.
Everyone not named Curry goes. Including Green at the deadline while he’s still considered premier in defense and grit with toughness.
Kuminga goes Jackson Davis goes. Schrader goes. Wiggins goes.., the whole lot of them. Might even get some good stuff back for Looney and defensive minded Gary Payton?
@Gary: Yes, that was tongue in cheek, I’m sure Ishiba & Co. believe they’re judgment is sound.
Two questions:
– Can Curry can still be the leading guy on a championship team, with the window likely to stay open for the next 2 seasons?
– Is Kuminga (or any other young player on the roster) capable of being that caliber of player in the future?
Reckless is never good. But I resent the “mortgaging the future” reference. The genesis of most people’s wealth in this country involved a mortgage at some point.
Yes, your Phoenix tidbit made me chuckle. Love it.
I do think Curry can lead a team even at age 36. The rest of this year for sure and I think he could next year as well.
The only way you stop him and it’s happened a lot this year is double and triple teaming him. He is still very much a man to be reckoned with.
I don’t even want to say he’s slowed down because I think it’s the focus of the opposing defense is to lock him down yet he’s still performing at a very high level. I don’t think he’s slipped a bit and I ignore the number on the birth certificate.
Number two is Jonathan Kuminga that “other guy?” Emphatically I say no. Not a single chance for that to happen.
People are marveled by his physical abilities and run with it and call him a basketball player. Yes, he can jump through the ceiling, but if you compare him to Dominique Wilkins, who had similar raw athleticism, Wilkins was longer, springer, more athletic, and could score.
His arms were longer. He had a variety of post moves and he was a lot more polished. I don’t see Jonathan Kuminga getting there. He’s not an All-Star and won’t be an All-Star. Ever.
So I’ll say again the Warriors game plan for a little bit now has been big game hunting. If they can’t find that guy or two, they’ll settle for veterans.
That’s where we’re at today. I think the clock is ticking and this group must be dumped.
Go big game hunting again this summer and fill the rest of the roster with ring seeking vets as the Warriors did in the past. David West, Maurice Spieghts, Sean Livingston, Andre Iguodala. This group we have today has to go.
DXC please dude. You know mortgaging the future means giving up more than what you get back in the long term. No ordinary guy gets wealthy doing that.
You want to know how to build personal wealth. Guess what. Successful sports teams are examples. They never mortgage the future to take a short cut. Sometimes that can work like the Lakers with AD. But usually it doesn’t. Steady does it.
Recently, MIL won a championship giving up future assets for Holiday, and TOR won one by acquiring Kwahi. There’s a few in every decade. It’s really about assessing whether what you have in the present is closer to championship than what you’re likely to have in the future. Use your assets to enhance the more special group.
EasyMoney, with all respect and appreciation for your opinion and posts, may I add this comment here?
I’m retired early because I mortgaged my future.
I worked two jobs, was in debt to the hilt in real estate, and started as an ordinary guy.
My parents were poor, died poor and ridiculed me for “working at an evil corporation.” So if something was going to happen in my life, I needed to do it myself. Well God too, praise his holy name.
But of course the key is when I had six mortgages I needed other people paying them for me. That’s how an ordinary guy becomes wealthy.
Yes, EasyMoney, when you mortgage the future you pay more.., in fact if you buy a house for $500,000 on a mortgage you end up paying 1 million for that house after 30 years are done. That’s a fact. So you’re correct there.
End of chapter 1.
Thank you all for tolerating this post unrelated to basketball.
Let me add this if I may EasyMoney.., owning professional sports teams bring billionaires into mega billionaire status. That’s if they time it right.
Guys who buy professional sports teams are already wealthy.
Enough of this talk of trading for a stiff. The Warriors should tank. Hopefully, the ball will bounce right and they can draft Maluach. Trade Wiggins for a 1st and draft a shooting guard. Bring back Melton because he was a nice fit with Curry. With Schroder and Payton off the books, they could look at a couple of vets for backup roles at Center and PG.
You can’t overpay and give up on future. This Warriors team with right additions. Could contend for 2-3 yrs. I think it’s worth it to take a long look now and after season.
Totally agree Gary, this is beyond repair. Getting one big out of that group available will not make this team great…or even very good… perhaps marginally better.
Look at how other teams such as Houston, Memphis, Indiana, Atlanta and New York have built their teams and there seems to be great upsides. The warriors are just a headache (with Steph going along for the ride)
My main upside for the Warriors this year is definitely Wiggins, his level has gone up again..
WELCOME TO THE HATING Warriors community. You got people who hate Kuminga. who is a kid. people who hate Podz. who is a kid. people who hate Moody. who is a kid. and TJD.
The haters say: Yes fire them all! Burn it to the ground. Blow it up. Because the basketball Gods owe us Warriors fans some new superstars. This offseason at the latest. Everybody close our eyes and tell ourselves we’ll always be number one.
Message to haters from the basketball Gods. Be better or we fire Dunleavy and give his job to DaveyJ. Stop whining. We gave you Kuminga. He is a cornerstone for future. Don’t forget about that kid with the big stones and multiple concussions. Or next time we will give you Ben Simmons. Stop the insane trade ideas. Kevin Durant isn’t coming home.
Now this guy is talking. Davey J for Dubs GM! LFG
“Because the basketball Gods owe us Warriors fans some new superstars. This offseason at the latest. Everybody close our eyes”
Grammar school much?
Where does Aristotle get his “Analytical Models” for what Kerr should do? Who created them? What is their track record? They tried that in Baseball. Most of those guys are out of jobs now. Baseball people seem to have better track records. I would think the same would be true in Basketball.
Giants74 , I assume that question is for me.
A company I’m involved with has licenses with two data/model providers, in particular: Second Spectrum from Genius Sports and Synergy Sports Technology. (Caveats: My own use of them is rudimentary and I don’t offer myself as an expert. And we use other tools that can introduce errors. And Incorrect info I provide is likely my mistake, not the data/models.)
The use of these and other data/analytics products is widely publicized. I have no involvement with the NBA or the companies themselves, but I do know that the NBA has a league-wide license to both of these products, each team pays over $1M per year for a license. I know that the Warriors use these and several others.
The finding that Kerr plays his best players less and his worst players more shouldn’t be a surprise.. That’s what happens when you go 12-13 deep. What’s surprising is that Kerr stayed with it for so long after so much negative empirical evidence. He’s an innovative coach, with a proven track record, but lately he’s made a lot of mistakes.
“A company I’m involved with has licenses with two data/model providers, in particular: Second Spectrum from Genius Sports and Synergy Sports Technology.”
Super fascinating dude. I wish you kept typing for another hour.
He had a great game but be careful. He’s too light to defend real bigs. Warriors need beef
You know who I just thought would be a great player for the Warriors? Chris Boucher. Way better fit than Vucevic or these slow bigs they are trying to sell for the Warriors. I didnt look into contracts and stuff, but his fit would be phenomenal and he has some familiarity with the team.
If I recall correctly, I think he makes pretty good money. In Fact, I think he’s paid more than what he provides. Yes, he’s improved. Yes he’s pretty effective out there but he’s not consistent.
I want to say he makes good cash like six or 8 million a year. He’s not a minimum contract guy. Now I have to look it up…
Oh almost $11 million. I knew it was high. He’s not worth that but the good thing is it’s an expiring contract. You wouldn’t be stuck with him next year at that high dollar amount.
Would Toronto be willing to give him up and would he solve the Warriors problems? Probably yes and probably no.