Stephen Curry sends clear message to Warriors ownership amid huge trade debate

The Golden State Warriors looked to be in line for a much-needed win at the end of their four-game road trip on Wednesday, having blasted out of the gates with a 24-point first-quarter lead against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

What ensued, instead, was nearly 40 minutes of chaos. There were large stretches where the Warriors resorted to their stale offensive structure that has hampered them in recent games. The Timberwolves slowly began to make their shots and hustle for offensive rebounds and loose balls as they continued to narrow the margin.

Stephen Curry delivered on Wednesday as the Warriors find themselves at an organizational crossroads

Stephen Curry, the Warriors' sole veteran with Draymond Green dealing with an illness, even disappeared for a large swathe of the second and third quarters. Yet the 2x MVP showed up when it mattered, securing the Warriors victory with a clutch corner three in the final minutes to kill Minnesota's momentum that had seen them tie the game.

In a season-high 37 minutes, Curry posted 31 points and eight assists on 47.6% shooting from the field. He made seven threes on the night and, most importantly, reminded the Warriors once again that he is entirely capable of maintaining an elite level of play on a near-nightly basis for his otherwise struggling team.

The Warriors, if they have any hopes to contend this season, need to add a player to the mix. Injuries to Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski have exposed the true shallowness of their offensive structure, and the Warriors have routinely struggled to close out games and execute against inferior opponents.

However, recent comments by head coach Steve Kerr, echoed by Curry and Draymond Green, have put the possibility of a major trade in question.

"Steph and Draymond and I have talked about it together. It just would be so irresponsible for this franchise to trade everything away for one final swing at a title", Kerr said on Tuesday.

Kerr publicly acknowledged the crossroads the Warriors stand at as Curry and Green enter the twilight of their careers. Is it worth it to mortgage the future for a chance at another title? Was 2022 the end of the dynasty?

Any trade for a team-shifting piece would almost certainly involve significant draft capital or a young player the Warriors think highly of such as Kuminga or Podziemski. It has become clear throughout recent games that, as they currently stand, this Warriors team is at best a mediocre one in a stacked Western Conference.

While Kerr's comments do not rule out a potential deal before the trade deadline, they seemingly indicate the current conservative mindset of the Warriors front office and ownership -- that they're not going to sell out to add a star to their rotation.

Their willingness to make the right move, if it presents itself, was evidenced by their trade for Dennis Schröder in early December. But will another such move be enough to move the needle for Golden State?

The only thing certain is that Curry has held up his end of the bargain, and his stellar performance against Minnesota on Wednesday night provides another reminder of that fact. If that wasn't enough, the 36-year-old delivered a blunt message to everyone after the game, stating that “anyone who thinks I’m okay being on an average basketball team is insane.”

Perhaps that was a clear reminder to Joe Lacob and Warrior ownership -- that Curry doesn't want them to be complacent and believe that he's all in on the futuristic ideals of the franchise.