Warriors urged to pair Stephen Curry with $153 million two-time NBA Finals MVP originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Golden State Warriors approach arguably their most pivotal offseason yet.
Stephen Curry isn’t retiring yet, but the 38-year-old stud is unquestionably running out of time and doesn’t want to spend his final few NBA seasons with a Warriors organization that isn’t going the extra mile to set itself up for a potential championship run.
According to CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn, the Warriors could appease Curry by pairing him with a two-time NBA Finals MVP and seven-time All-Star.
“What this offseason lacks in safe bets, it more than makes up for in feasible risks,” Quinn wrote Saturday. “Let's say the Warriors tone their offer down from five picks and all of the swaps to a couple of picks and perhaps a single swap. Suddenly, the menu gets a whole lot bigger.”
“We know the Warriors tried for Kawhi Leonard at the deadline. Given the timing and the uncertainty of the Aspiration investigation, such a deal would have been impractical at the time. We still don't know what the NBA will find or when the investigation will conclude, but if Leonard's contract is not voided, it seems a safe bet that the (Los Angeles) Clippers will shop him.”
“They just traded two of their three best players, James Harden and IvicaZubac, in forward-looking deals. Leonard is 34 and unlikely to have another season this healthy. This is the absolute peak of his value, and as the Clippers learned when they traded their future for Paul George, it's always nice to trade with a desperate buyer. The Warriors and Clippers will almost certainly resume talks in some fashion.”
At age 34, Leonard is coming off his best season as a pro from a scoring standpoint. Leonard, who appeared in at least 65 regular-season games for just the second time since the start of the 2017-18 season, averaged 27.9 points per contest while shooting 50.5% from the field and 38.7% from beyond the arc.
As Quinn noted, Leonard’s ongoing investigation complicates a potential deal for him, which is among the reasons the notable journalist placed him behind Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo while listing offseason trade options for the Warriors.
That said, the dependable mid-range/perimeter shooter, straight-line driver, and top-tier defender should remain on the Dubs’ radar as an elite fallback option if the Dubs’ No. 1 trade target takes his talents elsewhere.
Like Antetokounmpo, Leonard’s game-changing two-way chops would elevate Stephen Curry and the Warriors’ chances of competing for a championship in the evolving Western Conference.
Expect the two-time NBA champion to remain linked to the Dubs moving forward.
Lakers predicted to build around Luka Doncic, trade $53.8 million 23.3 PPG breakout star
Warriors predicted to land $101 million Lakers superstar to help Stephen Curry win fifth title
Celtics sign 26-year-old ex-Raptors history-making guard to help Jaylen Brown in playoffs