The Golden State Warriors and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. feel the general urgency to win with star Stephen Curry but aren't getting the pressure directly from the player, according to The Athletic's Anthony Slater.
"The key Warriors' stakeholders grasp Curry's sustained greatness and, team sources said, there is an internal understanding that his current supporting cast can't be considered a finished product if the 2025 NBA championship is believed to be a reachable goal," Slater reported Thursday.
"Curry was in on the recruitment of [Paul] George. Dunleavy keeps him in the loop on the options and ultimate personnel decisions. Curry hasn't, team sources said, expressed any signs of panic or unrest. But there's a choice of action or inaction in the coming months that'll give a clearer hint about his long-term mindset."
Curry averaged 26.4 points and 5.1 assists while shooting 40.8 percent from beyond the arc in 2023-24, and the 2024 Summer Olympics were a reminder of how much he can influence a game. His 24-point effort in the gold-medal win over France guaranteed he'll be the player most synonymous with Team USA's triumph this year.
The two-time MVP is no longer at his peak, but there's the hope he's still good enough to lift one more title with Golden State.
To that end, some fans might be slightly disappointed with how the offseason has unfolded so far.
The Klay Thompson sign-and-trade with the Dallas Mavericks wasn't met with much anger because everyone accepted it was a move in everyone's interest. But the Warriors reportedly pursued Paul George and were steadily linked with Lauri Markkanen, with neither player arriving.
George signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, while Golden State balked at the Utah Jazz's asking price for Markkanen before he penned an extension that rules out any trade until next summer at the earliest.
It's tough to argue the Warriors would've been championship favorites if they had gotten George or Markkanen. They were a play-in team that failed to make the playoffs last year. They would've at least gotten better with either player, though, and an acquisition of that magnitude would've sent a clear message.
In general, it's hard to picture Curry in any other uniform. He's entering his 16th season in the Bay Area.
Considering he's eligible for free agency in 2026, however, his future is going to become an even bigger story if Golden State fails to make any meaningful improvement on the court.
