In an unfortunate turn of events, Golden State Warriors star Jimmy Butler suffered a season-ending ACL tear last week. The injury puts the Warriors in a unique predicament. So, naturally, that puts Stephen Curry in a unique predicament as well.
As Curry is now in the twilight of his career, he is faced with a choice to make. He either stays at Golden State after this season, or he asks to be moved to a team that can compete for a championship.
Front office hubris costs
One of the reasons that these decisions need to be made is due to Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga’s recent trade demand. Head coach Steve Kerr has never truly gelled with the young player. This season in particular, Kerr hadn’t played Kuminga for 16 straight games. That streak ended the game after Butler’s catastrophic injury. How convenient, you’d say, right? Now that Kuminga’s services are needed, he is being called upon. However, it’s mutually beneficial to him and the Warriors that he play well prior to the trade deadline.
Kuminga’s status defines the scenario the Warriors walked into. He can be a contributor to them in the present, but because of the rift between him and Kerr, it’s likely that he’ll be moved. It’s doubtful that what Golden State gets in return will propel them to a long postseason run. So, during this off-season, Curry will have to acquiesce to either being a part of a rebuild or giving himself a shot to win in a big way next season.
Staying with one franchise can hold it back
Most superstar players get to this point. Hell, my favorite player, Shaquille O’Neal, sought out greener pastures on several occasions. On a couple of those, it worked out and turned into championships. I appreciate the novelty of a player staying with one franchise for the duration of their career. It’s a throwback. However, in Curry’s case, I’m confident that the fanbase in The Bay will be understanding if he chooses to move on. By no means do I believe that this is an easy decision. It’s really all contingent on what the four-time champion’s goals are.
A fork in the road
Now, if you’re asking me what I think he should do? I think that he should leave. With Curry’s shooting skills, he literally could be out here as LeBron James is. He could be a 40-something player scoring with the best of them. But I would imagine that it’s harder getting out of bed every morning to play basketball that won’t result in at least a deep playoff run. That’s what a future with the Warriors promises him most likely.
If we’re talking about where he should go next, I really can’t say as of now. None of us thought we’d be at such a crossroads so soon. But if news ever drops that Curry is available, there are tons of teams that will look to make a way. That wealth of options is something that the former NBA Finals MVP deserves to have. If nothing else, he should be allowed to choose a team that he feels he can play a huge role in taking to the top. As many headaches Curry has given me during the 2010s, even I can admit that’s the most apropos ending at this point.