“Definitely disappointed. Frankly, just sad that I wasn’t out there able to play.” Stephen Curry was visibly heartbroken as he witnessed the Warriors get knocked out in the second round while he sat helplessly on the sidelines because of his hamstring injury. But now that his chaotic season has come to an end, the Baby-Faced Assassin is looking forward to regroup this summer and come back stronger, “Imma take full advantage of the offseason knowing I’ve been playing a lot of basketball for the last year and lot left in the tank to prepare for. So, I’m excited about it.” And looks like he has found the perfect partner for the rest of his journey – Jimmy Butler!
Although Steph instructed the media to leave him alone this summer during his end of season interview, he was back in the spotlight this week for a special cause. As part of an initiative of his Eat.Learn.Play Foundation, the Warriors star participated in The Memorial Tournament. While he was busy golfing, a reporter asked him, “I make you pass for a game winning shot, anybody in history, who’s getting it?”
Out of all the legends to have ever stepped on an NBA court, Steph had only one star in mind, “Right now, Jimmy Butler.” His bold admission proves the kind of bond Steph and Jimmy have built in less than four months of being teammates. Even during the end of season interview, Curry highlighted how seamlessly Jimmy fit in the Warriors’ system following the February trade, “There was a lot of chatter of whether it was the right trade. From the first game in Chicago to last night, it was a seamless fit. (We) complement each other so well.”
Moreover, the four-time champ understood the impact Jimmy had on the entire team, “He gave us so much belief. It was a success. Now you have to build off that.” Before Jimmy’s arrival, the Warriors were struggling to even enter the playoff race. They had a 25-26 record and were tenth in the West. Then, Butler came in and turned them into legitimate title contenders. He was exactly what the team needed, a secondary superstar alongside Steph, averaging 17.9 points and nearly six assists. Had Steph not injured his hamstring the Warriors might still be in the playoffs fighting for a championship. So, Curry seems to trust Butler more than any other player. However, the Warriors still need to acquire some key pieces this summer to boost their chances of another title run.
Stephen Curry has confidence in Mike Dunleavy to fulfill Warriors’ glaring void
While the Steph and Jimmy connection is looking strong, and has brought a new spark to the Warriors locker room, they still need to take care of some issues this summer. When Steph got injured, their weaknesses were exposed by the Timberwolves. Two biggest ones – Lack of scoring and lack of size. Apart from Jimmy, there was no other consistent 20+ point scorer. Moreover, Rudy Gobert turned into a nightmare for them because of their lack of an elite big man.
These are the issues Steph hopes Mike Dunleavy will fix this offseason, “We need to probably get a little bit bigger across the board. Those can be addressed, but how and how you get to that I think is what Mike’s gonna have to figure out. We got confidence that he can do it.” Many believe Warriors will pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo if he becomes available in the market.
Of course, it would require giving up several key assets, likely including Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, and more. But Steph understands that these changes need to be made for the betterment of the franchise, “You hate to see guys go and what not but every team has to get better and they have to address that. I think from Joe, to Mike, Steve, our veteran leaders, like we’ll all have those conversations and try to answer those questions the best that we all can. And hopefully, make moves that make our team better. That’s what the name of the game is.” Now that the Warriors’ core is set, and Steph finally has time to regain his strength, Dunleavy’s off season moves could determine how far the team goes next year. Do you think they can get back in the title picture?
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