How Likely Are the 26-27 Warriors to Trade a Two-Time MVP to the Celtics?
Stephen Curry has been Golden State’s rock for over a decade now. Together, the two sides have enjoyed great highs, such as winning four championships in six NBA Finals appearances. They have also suffered miserably in their lowest moments, like having a record that earned them the second overall pick in 2020 or missing the playoffs in two of the last three seasons. Through thick and thin, the greatest shooter of all time has established himself as the best player in franchise history, and arguably a top 10 player of all-time. However, all good things eventually come to a close, and Warriors fans may not have to wait for Curry to retire as the ending to his Warriors chapter.
A few weeks ago, news swirled that the 38-year-old guard had attracted interest from the Boston Celtics. With the C’s having pieces available while also lacking a star guard, a trade between the 2022 NBA Finalists could’ve materialized in theory. Unfortunately for fans with those aspirations, neither camp has officially expressed interest in a move like this. The media miscommunication happened in part because Curry and Jayson Tatum were at the same golf course on the same date. The public later found out that the two of them actually played at Vineyard Golf Club with different groups, which makes this situation seem purely coincidental.
If we disregard the noise and look at the recent basketball operations of the organizations, one can conclude just how unlikely this marriage really is. The Celtics are looking to rebuild around Tatum and follow the youthful trend set by teams like the Thunder and the Spurs. What hints to this approach is how keen the 2024 NBA Champions were on primarily acquiring draft picks from Philadelphia when dealing Jaylen Brown away. The Warriors, on the other hand, have brought in well-established veterans over the last few transaction windows. The front office has realized, although a bit too late in my opinion, that there’s no time to draft and develop young prospects if the team’s primary focus is to maximize Curry’s remaining years. They have decided to go all in now, hence why they’ve picked up players who would almost assuredly fit roles deemed necessary by head coach Steve Kerr.
Taking into consideration everything I’ve mentioned thus far, it should be pretty clear that this idea won’t become a reality. Furthermore, Brett Siegel from ClutchPoints recently reported that the 2022 Finals MVP has no intention of leaving Golden State. In fact, he’ll essentially be able to become a Warrior for life if he signs the two-year max he’ll be eligible for later this month. While I’d love to argue that crazier things have happened, I don’t see a world in which Curry does not crack the list of top five players with the most consecutive seasons under one franchise.
