Things could look a lot different for the Warriors next season, but Steph Curry is confident everything will fall into place as it’s meant to.
The two-time NBA MVP stopped by 95.7 The Game’s “Steiny & Guru” on Friday, where he was asked about uncertainty surrounding the 2023-24 NBA season when it comes to the contracts of 11-year veteran Draymond Green and president of basketball operations/general manager Bob Myers.
“I think we can all acknowledge and keep it real that had we not won a championship last year, then those questions would have been a lot more … everyday, I guess?” Curry said. “But when you prove that you can win, then you kind of hold off the dogs in terms of how hard it is to do what we’ve done and keep this together for as long as we have.”
The Warriors brought home their fourth NBA title in eight seasons last June — but that almost was an entire year ago. Golden State is focused on making another playoff run this season, but as they make their postseason push, questions that seemed far away last summer now are creeping closer and closer.
Myers currently is in the last year of his Warriors contract, and his future with the organization remains unclear without an extension. And Green’s contract situation is murky, too, as the 33-year-old has the option to opt out of his four-year deal next season. Should he opt in, he’ll make $27.5 million with Golden State in 2023-24.
And while Myers future with the Warriors could impact Green’s decision, the circumstances became much more complicated this week with the NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday, citing sources, that terms included in the tentative agreement would block high-spending teams, like the Warriors, from utilizing Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception in seasons to come if they exceed the luxury tax threshold by at least $17.5 million, among other restrictions.
With the inability to fill out their roster in ways that they’re used to, the Warriors might have to make some tough decisions when it comes to who they’ll pay in the future and how much they’re willing to spend. But Curry knows as long as Golden State keeps winning, it can help justify some of those choices — especially when it comes to two key pieces to the dynasty like Myers and Green.
“I still feel like we can [keep everyone together],” Curry continued. “Obviously, we understand how important Bob is, we understand how important Coach is, our core, Draymond, Klay [Thompson], myself, Andre [Iguodala], even though he’s had a rough year with injuries and what not, he’s been extremely valuable behind the scenes in helping maintain our culture.
“But it’s still proven that it can win, and you don’t really mess with that. So I feel like as long as we can continue to prove that, it makes the conversation a little bit easier.”
Curry also knows not everything is a given in this league.
“But we know it’s a business. I’m not the first person to say that or acknowledge it,” Curry said. “So, it’s just a matter of making sure there’s trust and a singular focus on what we need to control now, or what we have under our control now in terms of trying to win at the highest level, and then let the rest kind of settle when that time comes.”
The unanswered questions remain, but Curry and the Warriors have a task at hand to worry about first and foremost — defending their NBA title. And when the time comes, the organization can focus on whether or not to keep the gang together.
