Stephen Curry is entering his age-37 season with the Golden State Warriors. The sharpshooting superstar is still among the most talented players in the NBA, as he continues to defy the aging process.
Nevertheless, Curry has dealt with the inevitable questions regarding his future in recent years. And, as he continues to get older, those queries will only grow in frequency. However, when speaking with Mark Medina of Essentially Sports, Curry noted that he isn’t opposed to the notion of playing into his 40s, similar to that of superstar forward LeBron James.
“All I’ll say is that I just want the option and if I’m at a legitimate ability to be able to play,” Curry said. “I don’t know if it’ll make sense or if I would want to, whatever the case is. But if I can make the decision and the decision is not made for me, that’s a big, big point.”
If Curry can maintain his endless motor, which allows him to move without the ball in his hands continually, and his shot continues to fall at an elite clip, there’s no reason to think he couldn’t sustain another four or more years in the league. Last season, Curry played in 70 regular-season games for Kerr’s team. He averaged 24.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 6 assists, shooting 44.8% from the field and 39.7% from deep.
Warriors’ Veteran Core Could Be a Fatal Flaw
According to Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, Golden State’s aging core of talent could struggle when facing some of the younger, more athletic teams in the NBA.
“For as well as things clicked upon Jimmy Butler’s deadline addition, they looked a bit old and slow at times after his arrival,” Buckley wrote. “Adding 30-somethings Al Horford and Seth Curry in free agency won’t change that. And while they managed to ultimately re-sign explosive swingman Jonathan Kuminga, it sure sounds like he could be gone as soon as he becomes trade-eligible in mid-January.”
Buckley continued.
“There are younger, more athletic teams all over the Association, and some of them rank among the Western Conference’s top contenders. Savvy and smarts can help overcome some of that deficit, but there’s no real way to fully hide athletic limitations.”
The Warriors have Curry, Draymond Green , Al Horford and Jimmy Butler as the core part of their primary rotation. All of those players are on the wrong side of 30.
Al Horford Could Come Off The Bench
The Warriors signed Horford to a two-year $11.6 million deal earlier this month. However, given his age (39), Steve Kerr will have some tough decisions to make over how Horford slots into the rotation. The veteran head coach discussed the challenge of managing Horford’s minutes following Golden State’s 126-116 preseason loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on October 12.
“If Al were a little younger, he’d be in the starting lineup for sure,” Kerr said . “But if he’s playing limited minutes, it’s tougher to start him and finish the game. If he’s not playing as many minutes as he would have a few years ago, we still have a lot to think about.”
Regardless of how Kerr uses Horford, the veteran big man will be a huge addition to the rotation. His ability to space the floor and defend at a high level will give the roster a much-needed boost. Horford has been effective in multiple roles in recent years. And, it’s that versatility that likely attracted the Warriors to him this summer.
Golden State’s veteran core isn’t a flaw; it’s arguably their biggest strength.
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