The Boston Celtics have endured a tumultuous summer. Their decision to part ways with Jaylen Brown has left the fan base divided, especially as his departure helped strengthen a direct rival in the Philadelphia 76ers.
When looking at Boston’s roster, it is fair to assume that they won’t be in the running for a championship this season, at least not as constructed. As such, it’s safe to assume that Boston will find itself being linked with any player who is, or is expected to become, disgruntled.
That’s where Stephen Curry comes into the equation. For the second straight summer, the Golden State Warriors have missed out on their top targets. Furthermore, they’ve failed to add any difference-makers throughout free agency.
With that in mind, John Karalis of Celtics on SI recently wrote an opinion piece, noting that should Curry become disillusioned with life in the Bay Area, Boston would be wise to pursue him via trade.
Within that opinion piece, Karalis shared the framework of a trade that he believes could lead to Curry moving to the Celtics. The trade idea looks like this:
Boston Celtics get: Stephen Curry
Golden State Warriors get: Paul George, Sam Hauser, and the Sixers’ two future first-round picks Boston acquired in the Brown trade.
“The 2028 pick, as convoluted as it is, is valuable, and getting two potentially high lottery picks in exchange for the final few years of Curry is a really good return,” Karalis wrote, explaining his reasoning. “George is in it for salary matching and Hauser’s inclusion helps give them someone currently valuable so they’re not tanking TOO hard in this new lottery reform era. Also, including Hauser allows Boston to stay under the tax.”
Curry Is In The Final Year Of His Current Contract
A key reason why Curry’s future is suddenly being discussed is that he’s entering the final year of his contract. He will become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Given the Warriors’ inability to improve the roster over the past two seasons, Curry could use his impending free agency to pressure Golden State into making some moves.
“He wants a chance, a real chance, for a deep playoff run,” The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson recently wrote. “The longer it takes for him to sign a contract extension, the more you can bet Curry’s using potential free agency as a tool to keep the Warriors pushing toward that end.”
Curry, 38, may be past his best at this late point in his career. However, he’s still capable of playing at an elite level, and would undoubtedly fit into Joe Mazzulla’s three-point-heavy offensive system.
Celtics Could Take Advantage Of Warriors Focus
According to Tim Kawakami, speaking via ‘The TK Show,’ the Warriors’ front office is focused on building toward the post-Curry era.
“What (team governor Joe) Lacob wants to do, and this might get Warriors fans mad. He wants to build the next team after Steph Curry,” Kawakami said. “I don’t know how possible that is, but Lacob has a very keen interest in… this organization’s going to show what it can do with Steph Curry and then after Steph Curry.”
If Golden State is truly focusing on the future, now could be the perfect time for Curry to move elsewhere. Very few teams would make as much sense for him as the Celtics. Nevertheless, it’s hard to envision Curry leaving the Warriors.
Still, if there’s one thing we’ve learned about the NBA in recent years, its that you can never say never.
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