When the 2025-26 NBA regular season concludes, Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry will be 38 years of age. With this in mind, it's difficult to envision a scenario in which Curry manages to win MVP over the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, or Nikola Jokic.
Curry quietly played at an MVP-caliber level once Jimmy Butler joined the Warriors in 2024-25, however, and a deeper roster in 2025-26 could enable him to sustain that form.
Curry is already a two-time NBA MVP, which is reason enough to factor him into any potential conversations about the award. The contrarian view would be that he's coming off of a season in which he posted his lowest scoring average since 2014-15—and the Warriors weren't ending games in three quarters as they did 10 years prior.
Curry was the proverbial tale of two halves in 2024-25, however, as he seemed to flip a switch after the New Year and reach an entirely different level of play.
Curry averaged 22.0 points and 4.2 three-point field goals made per game on .437/.401/.923 shooting through Dec. 31. Those numbers jumped to 26.0 points and 4.6 three-point field goals made on .454/.395/.938. shooting after Jan. 1.
That drastic improvement in production offers insight into what Curry may be able to manage in 2025-26—on a potentially elite team that can produce enough wins to justify MVP consideration.
Stephen Curry played like an MVP after Warriors traded for Jimmy Butler
Curry was already turning things up a notch in 2025, but his season took a significant turn once Butler debuted with the Warriors on Feb. 8. He'd been averaging 22.4 points per game up to that point in the year, including a mark of 22.9 points per contest between Jan. 1 and Feb. 7.
Between Butler's debut and the end of the regular season, however, Curry averaged 27.3 points, 5.8 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 4.8 three-point field goals made on .473/.408/.924 shooting.
After Butler's Feb. 8 debut, Curry ranked No. 8 in the NBA in points per game and No. 3 in points per 36 minutes. In the event that Curry sustains the pace that he set once Butler joined the Warriors, it's safe to assume he'll at least be in All-NBA First Team conversations.
The prerequisite for that distinction, of course, is typically significant team success—and the Warriors are a prime candidate to check that box as well.
Warriors were a top-3 team after trading for Jimmy Butler in 2024-25
The Warriors compiled the third-best winning percentage in the NBA after Butler debut with the team on Feb. 8. Only the Oklahoma City Thunder and Boston Celtics were ahead of Golden State in that regard, which is an impressive fact on multiple levels.
One of the primary reasons to be intrigued by that truth is the fact that Boston and Oklahoma City had spent the entire season with their respective cores in place, while Golden State was adapting on the fly.
The Warriors weren't just winning games during that time, but typically dominating the opponents they encountered. They ranked No. 3 in the NBA in net rating during that stretch, outscoring opponents by 9.2 points per 100 possessions.
For perspective: That's only 1.4 fewer points per 100 possessions than the 73-win Warriors outscored opponents by in 2015-16.
With the addition of NBA champion Al Horford to help solidify the interior, Golden State should have a chance to take another step forward. It should also benefit immensely from having a full training camp with Butler and another year of development and improvement from several key up-and-coming players.
If the Warriors continue to dominate opponents and Curry produces at the level he managed during the post-Butler-trade chapter of the 2024-25 season, a third MVP award would be a realistic dream.