Life Comes At You Fast: Steph Curry Couldn't Believe What He Was Hearing When Told The Warriors Aren't Expected To Make The Playoffs This Year
San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers. Getty Images.Over the weekend, Steph Curry backed up his talk and took one step closer to becoming a Warrior for life by signing a new 2/$115M extension that will in theory keep him in GS all the way through his age 40 season. Even though there are other scenarios that may have been fun to see, at the end of the day, it feels right that he's sticking around and playing for the only franchise he's ever known
So now that the Warriors won't have to deal with the uncertainty or drama around Steph's future, the focus can shift back into being competitive and title contenders. As a reminder, since the Warriors' 2022 title, they've had the following runs:
- Lost in Round 2
- Missed the Playoffs
- Lost in Round 2
- Missed the Playoffs
There were also the two seasons prior to that title when the Warriors also missed the playoffs, so things have been a little different since the true Dynasty Warriors days.
When you look at their offseason this summer, it doesn't exacltly get your dick hard. Already without Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody for the foreseeable future, the Warriors didn't really do all that much to add talent to this roster outside of drafting Yaxel Lendeborg. Their other big moves were just re-signing De'Anthony Melton, Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis. Well, preseason hasn't even started yet and KP is already being shut down because his mystery illness appears to be back
which isn't exactly how you're hoping to start the year if you're GS or a Warriors fan. Given the age of their roster and what the depth chart currently looks like, there's been a bit of a shift when it comes to the expectations of this current Warriors group. At a time when you'd think they'd be doing everything possible to maximize the final years of Steph's career, they've basically done the opposite, and as a result there's a strong belief that the Warriors will be on the outside looking in when it comes to the postseason next Spring.
To most, that doesn't even really sound like that much of a hot take for a team that just lost in the Play In and didn't make the playoffs. Steph Curry? Let's just say his reaction to that take looked like someone who was realizing in real time what he just committed the rest of his career to
His face said it all
Now, the easy spinzone here is that Steph will now use this as motivation similar to how he did in 2022 and he'll have a monster year backpacking the Warriors (again). Given that it's Media Day and everyone tries to be positive during these things, he obviously wasn't going to sit up there and admit that the Warriors are in fact, screwed. He tried to recover and make a joke of it in real time, but you know deep down the realization is hitting that things have changed since the Dynasty days and I'm not sure even a fully healthy Steph year can save them.
Let's just look at last year's standings in the West
If we assume normal health for everyone, who are the Warriors jumping? I think it's fair to assume the Clippers are outta there, and I expect teams like the Mavs and Jazz to be more competitive. Maybe this is finally the year the Pelicans figure their shit out and get some better injury luck. The point is, all of the teams in the top 6 improved this year, the Blazers should be better, so is it really that surprising if this current Warriors group misses the playoffs again? Maybe this time around they're able to get to a higher Play In spot to where they can afford to drop a game and still get in, but again I don't exactly view that as "playoff lock"
And look, this is the life Steph Curry has chosen for himself. While he was on his previous deal, I always felt a little bad for Steph that he was so great, yet his team stunk and the front office seems to have zero idea what they're doing. But now that he's re-upped with GS knowing their situation and their roster, he made his bed. I don't think we can do the whole #SaveStephCurry thing anymore because he had his chance to be saved, and he instead chose to be a 1 team player.
Is it possible the Warriors go out and land a big fish next summer with the added room Steph helped create by taking less than the max? Sure. Anything is possible really. But it's probably more likely that the last few years of Steph Curry as a Warrior end with some Play In appearances and that's it. That sounds crazy to say about a franchise and player as successful as the Warriors and Steph Curry, but sadly that appears to be the reality of the situation.