Stephen Curry Says Warriors Must Adapt After LeBron James Chooses Philadelphia
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San Francisco, CA — Stephen Curry broke his silence Saturday on LeBron James’ decision to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers, acknowledging that Golden State’s plan to pair the two future Hall of Famers never progressed beyond speculation.
“That’s why you don’t envision anything until it happens,” Curry told reporters at a youth basketball camp hosted by teammate Moses Moody. “There’s a lot of moving parts.” His comments came one day after James announced his free-agency choice.
Golden State was viewed as a finalist for James partly because of Curry’s presence and the bond the two guards forged while winning gold with Team USA at the 2024 Olympics. Concerns about the Warriors’ championship window, however, pushed James toward Philadelphia instead.
Roster setbacks cloud Warriors’ outlook
The Warriors have spent the past two off-seasons searching for another elite player to support Curry, 38, in the twilight of his career. Reported trade attempts for Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis and Jaylen Brown stalled, and the club’s lone splash — acquiring Jimmy Butler — hit a snag when Butler tore the ACL in his right knee. He is expected to miss at least half of the 2026-27 season.
Moody is also out indefinitely with a torn patellar tendon. Once Draymond Green finalizes a new contract, six of the team’s highest-paid players will either be older than 35 or recovering from major injuries, creating what Curry called a “daunting reality.”
“When Jimmy got hurt and Moses got hurt, the whole calculus of everything changes,” Curry said. “How do you get through their absence and still stay at a certain level?”
Expiring deal adds urgency
Curry is entering the final season of a $62.6 million contract, a situation that could give him leverage to push management to keep upgrading the roster. Golden State is coming off a 37-45 campaign and a play-in tournament exit, and the four-time MVP does not want to finish his career on a lottery team.
Complicating matters, a runner’s knee condition limited Curry to 43 games last season. With Butler and Moody sidelined, the Warriors will again rely heavily on their franchise cornerstone as he begins his 18th NBA season.
“You hope that they both come back healthy,” Curry said, “and we can play at a level that keeps us relevant and competitive and builds a foundation so that we can figure out what it looks like. But that is the situation. We don’t live in any alternative universe.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
