When Jimmy Butler came to the Golden State, he found his ‘joy back,’ and Stephen Curry found a reliable partner. The partnership clicked as well with 23-7 with Jimmy Buckets in the lineup during the regular season. But it came to a scratching halt, as the Wolves got the better of the Warriors, as Curry was injured. The team definitely needs some additions, and their superstars are not aging backwards. During this uncertain time, Vince Carter provided some intel on how to approach this situation.
The situation even seems bleak after Stephen Curry’s recent candid confession. “I don’t know. I’m just taking it two years at a time. That’s what I have left on my contract right now.” This is a clear message from the 4x NBA champion to the executives that there is no long-term future, just focus on the next two years to maximise the opportunity to win. They’ve already lost their most dependable big man, Kevon Looney, to the Pelicans, making their need for size even more desperate. That’s when the team should strive for balance, as per Carter.
First, the Raptors legend dismissed age being a factor to limit the Warriors’ success. In fact, he considered it their strength. “A lot of knowledge. They have an advantage because of knowledge. Like we always look at age, and we think, ‘Oh, they can’t do it. Can they do it? Will they do it?’ But like look at the knowledge.” He is speaking from his perspective, too, as he played for 22 years in the league. No doubt, the body reacts more slowly after a certain age, but that’s when planning comes in.
Carter said, “So you have the veteran presence in the locker room, which a lot of teams die for, they have that now.” So, how can Steve Kerr plan well? Carter suggested integrating more players in the rotation right from the get-go. “But you know, to me, the expectations for Steph, Draymond, even Buckets, to have to do it early. Yes. I want to build up my young guys for the playoffs because those three guys know what it takes and know how to handle.”
Another headache for Kerr last year was the integration of Kuminga with the veteran trio of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Butler. Many reports suggested the 22-year-old is on his way out. Unfortunately, his future with the Warriors is also entangled with the future of other stars who might come to the Golden State.
Stephen Curry’s Warriors have to find a solution
With last year’s exit, the team needs to look for a defender. First of all, the team is yet to bring in a free agent. However, it’s not that straightforward. As per Jake Weinbach, “Golden State’s free agent signings may be on hold until Kuminga’s situation is resolved.” Once an important piece of the roster, the 22-year-old proved he could be the star. When Curry was out against the Wolves, in those 4 games, Kuminga stepped up big time and averaged 24.3 points. But Kerr is yet to plan out a way to keep the youngster alongside the Big3.
That’s why they need to trade JK, and that too quickly. But that situation is progressing slowly due to the demands of the Warriors. According to NBA insider Zach Lowe, the Warriors want “a decent young player, a first-round pick.” That steep price has “cratered interest” from other teams. Since there is no concrete progress, the talks to add a Center are also slowing down. Other teams already have multiple options, as the Golden State is scrambling to find one.
OKC has Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, Minnesota leans on Rudy Gobert, and Houston possesses Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams. Not to forget, the Lakers have added Deandre Ayton and brought back Jaxson Hayes. For now, the Warriors are interested in bringing Al Horford, who apparently mulls over retirement talks. The next option on their list is former Warriors star De’Anthony Melton. Again, the process seems slow, which should be the opposite after Stephen Curry‘s retirement hints.
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