Stephen Curry is synonymous with the Golden State Warriors. As the greatest player in franchise history, it's almost blasphemous to consider the two-time MVP ever wearing a different team's uniform.
Yet the same thing was also said for Klay Thompson, and now Warrior fans will have a few months to prepare for the fact the beloved franchise legend will walk out and play for the Dallas Mavericks next season.
Did Stephen Curry's latest comments on his future suggest a shifting perspective on his time with the Golden State Warriors?
In the wake of Thompson's departure last week, Curry was asked about his own future in an interview with Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. While the two-time MVP reiterated his wish to be a "Warrior for life", he also cautioned it by saying that "things change quickly" in the NBA.
This is a first - I've never seen Curry say anything like this his entire career. The Klay trade is probably giving him this perspective. https://t.co/KUE7VPxwD8
— Jim Park🏀🌌 (@Sheridanblog) July 8, 2024
Curry could have left it at wanting to be a Warrior for life, but instead left the door slightly ajar with his final comment. For many Golden State fans, that opened the floodgates on speculation of Curry's contentment and the overall state of the franchise amid an offseason of significant change.
After holding the league's highest payroll last season, and being in the top three in each of the past five years, the Warriors have repositioned themselves financially with the departure of Thompson and fellow veteran Chris Paul.
Any Warriors fan who genuinely believed Steph was going to be satisfied with Lacob ducking tax, letting his guys leave and promising he'll NEVER be a Top 6 seed again for last 4-5 years of his career was deluding themselves.
— Mike (@TheMessyChefy) July 8, 2024
Lacob is trying to show the core the door. https://t.co/XtjXMzRONs
The storied trio of Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green is now just two heading into next season, with plenty of attention still on the latter after a tumultuous season where he was suspended for two seperate egregious on-court acts.
But perhaps Curry's comment was simply based on recent reflection and the whirlwind of losing Thompson as a teammate, rather than any subtle hint that his future with the franchise is in any kind of doubt.
He saw Klay leave and started to question everything about the organization lol https://t.co/GMpaDkJHdS
— AHMAD K SMITH (@AKISNBA) July 8, 2024
Curry's comments may not have been entirely ideal, but there's little need for any overwhelming sense of panic among the fanbase. The 36-year-old still has two years left on his contract -- as does Green and head coach Steve Kerr -- suggesting that the trio are still likely to ride the wave for a while longer, even if there'll be some unfamiliarity without Thompson by their side.