Do the Golden State Warriors secretly want Stephen Curry—who turns 39 in March—to request a trade?
Earlier this week, Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy raised eyebrows by stating the franchise would honor Curry’s trade request if he made one. Insider Mark Willard believes Dunleavy’s comments carry a hidden message—that Golden State is secretly ready to move on from Curry and rebuild around new assets and draft picks.
“…Underneath the covers, is that what the Warriors actually want?” Willard asked on 95.7’s “The Game” about a potential Curry trade.
“It’s easy for [Dunleavy] to say, ‘Boy, if he came to us, we would hate it. We’d hate it, but we’d do it.’ And I’m not saying that he’s disingenuous, but I’m asking, because I am curious,” added the longtime Warriors commentator.
“You have two quotes next to each other — ‘It’s up to Steph, we want him to stay forever.’ I believe Mike on that. But your very next comment is this: ‘With the knee, other injuries, and then his age, it’s definitely something we have to manage.’”
Warriors Concerned About Stephen Curry?
Willard then replayed the soundbite of Dunleavy saying he “hopes” Curry plays more than 43 games, referencing the knee injury that sidelined the two-time MVP for most of last season’s second half. Dunleavy also interestingly said that the Warriors were in a “delicate” position due to Curry’s injury history and their aging roster.
“I know I sound a little cynical right now, but that quote makes me not nervous, but we get the reality,” Willard said of Dunleavy’s comments on Curry’s injury issues.
“…But when you listen to Mike say that, would you really be talking about a two-year max extension worth 130 million dollars?”
It’s worth noting that Warriors governor Joe Lacob made similar comments on “The TK Show” podcast on Wednesday.
“Curry, hopefully, will be healthy this year. We don’t know,” Lacob said.
“We hope so. He’s doing everything to make that happen,” he added.
Warriors Face Stephen Curry Question
Dunleavy and Lacob’s comments come at a time when the Warriors and Curry find themselves at a critical juncture. Curry is eligible to sign a two-year extension worth $136.7M on August 29, a deal that will keep him with the franchise through 2029.
If Curry doesn’t put to paper, he will become an unrestricted free agent next summer, putting the Warriors in a tricky spot entering the new season. Amid the concerns, both Dunleavy and Lacob have expressed confidence that Curry will retire a Warrior. On Wednesday, Lacob said the Warriors and Curry are “getting close” to finalizing a deal.
“My guess is, Steph, I wouldn’t worry about this too much,” Lacob said.
“Steph loves it here. We love him here. I don’t want Steph to go anywhere. I really can’t imagine a scenario where he’s going anywhere. I think we’ll do what needs to be done.”
If Curry doesn’t sign an extension, the Warriors could have over $120M in cap space next season when Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler come off the books. Some believe Warriors ownership wouldn’t mind such a situation, and is eager to start anew.
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