The Golden State Warriors are several years removed from their latest title run and Stephen Curry is running out of time to add another championship trophy to his resume. Speaking up on an episode of First Take this week, renowned basketball journalist Stephen A. Smith called out the Warriors and questioned why they’ve recently been unable to build a proper team around their franchise star.
“Looking at the organization as a whole — specifically Steve Kerr — and I’m saying, ‘How come we can’t get this brother any additional help?’… We’re talking about a Steph Curry that still looks like he’s in his prime,” said Smith. “Still the greatest shooter on the planet… You would think people would clamor to [play alongside Curry]. I don’t know if that has been the case.”
Steph Curry led the Warriors on a miraculous run from 2015-2022 when they captured four championships en route to making NBA history. Between Steph, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and later Kevin Durant, the Warriors formed a powerful dynasty that is remembered today for being one of the greatest teams ever assembled.
But since the 2019 Finals, the Warriors have been on a gradual decline. That summer is when Kevin Durant left for the Nets and it’s the same one that saw Klay Thompson suffer a torn ACL. It took years for the Warriors to recover but they were never the same after that.
Today, the franchise is a shell of itself with just a few remnants from their storied past. Both Durant and Klay Thompson have left and Draymond Green is on his last legs after earning himself a lengthy suspension last season. Even with Steph averaging 26.4 points per game, the Warriors finished 10th in the West and failed to qualify for the first round after a play-in loss to the Sacramento Kings.
Going into next season, the Warriors have mostly the roster. Their biggest change was swapping out longtime veteran Chris Paul with young sharpshooter Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson from the Memphis Grizzlies.
Those additions will surely help the Warriors make up some ground in the West but it may not be enough to overcome some of the top contenders. As Stephen A. and others have noticed, Curry doesn’t have a real co-star and he hasn’t had a worthy sidekick in years.
Somehow, the Warriors have failed to bring any stars to the team, whether by trade or free agency. Despite other teams across the league luring big-name players of their own, like Paul George and the 76ers, Steve Kerr and GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. have been completely unable to get Steph the help that he needs.
With Currys’s presence, and the franchise’s rich history of winning, it should be enough to make the Warriors a premium destination for stars. Yet, the Warriors have lost more star power than they’ve gained and it’s led to a slow and brutal decline.
As the underdogs for the 2025 championship, it will take nothing short of a miracle for Steph to lead his team to the promised land. But despite the odds, he signed on for another year with the franchise and made it clear where his loyalty lies.
As the 36-year-old nears the end of his career, it’ll be up to the Warriors to make things right and build a team that can keep up with the best of the West. To accomplish that goal, they will need to bring in more talent and find the co-star that will push them over the edge.
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