When you talk about loyalty, especially in the sports world, it is quite a rare trait. Teams break apart, former teammates and friends begin to fight, and the most loyal players eventually leave. An athlete’s thirst for winning blinds them, and it controls them. Take Giannis Antetokounmpo, for example. We thought he would be a Milwaukee Buck for life, but even someone who values loyalty crumbles eventually.

Steph Curry Is The NBA’s Most Loyal Star

Then, there is Steph Curry. Not only has he played 18 Years in the NBA, but every single one of them has been in Golden State. This level of commitment to one franchise is rarely seen in modern sports. The ability to consistently show up, even when you have no chance of winning, and still try is beyond loyalty; it deserves an award.

It doesn’t mean that Steph Curry’s drive for another 5th championship is gone, though. Now that he is getting older, and the window to win a legendary 5th ring is getting slimmer, Steph Curry is attempting to force the Warriors to build a contending roster around him for one final run at greatness.

Golden State’s executives sat down with Steve Kerr, contemplating their future, and what they decided is that they are most likely going to build for the future, rather than compete for a championship. Stephen Curry, who is due for an extension, is reportedly “unhappy” with the roster right now and is demanding more firepower.

At 38 Years Old, Steph Curry is no longer as effective as he used to be. He can’t carry the offence as much as he used to, and he certainly does not have the stardom surrounding him as he did in 2017-19. With a “big 3” of Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler and Kristaps Porzingis, Steh Curry has virtually no chance of winning a title anytime soon.

Players like Jimmy Butler have been put on the trading block recently, but nothing has come of that. Golden State was reportedly targeting Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ja Morant, LaMelo Ball and any other star that was on the move, but they acquired literally no one.

This left Golden State in shambles, because now they either have to build for the future and risk losing Stephen Curry to free agency, or trade away their draft capital and younger players for a chance at a big star on the market. Both ideas destroy the franchise in 2-3 years, but it’s the only chance they have.

Steph Curry has said many times he wants to play for 20 seasons, and entering his 18th season, the Warriors theoretically have 2 years left to both build for the future and get Steph Curry his contending roster. This is entirely possible, but it takes skill and the ability to let go of valuable assets, such as picks and rookies.

Most of the players that the Warriors were targeting have either signed long-term deals with their franchise or have plans to very soon. Anthony Davis wants to remain in Washington, but perhaps the only hope that they have is that the Wizards don’t offer him a contract that Davis is interested in, a supermax.

Davis is seeking a massive 4-year, $275 million max extension, and while the Warriors don’t have the cap room to take on such a huge contract, with the hopes of a title, they could negotiate Davis down. Another player that Golden State could sign or trade for is former Golden State Warrior Klay Thompson.

In a recent video circulating across X, Klay Thompson suggested that a potential return to Golden State would be “an ideal ending” and to not count anything out. This piece of media alone convinced fans that Thompson could return to Golden State, which would be one of the NBA’s greatest reunions.

The Golden State Warriors are perhaps one of the most decorated and iconic franchises in NBA history, and although it is sad to see the best team in the NBA since 2015 fall into a dark age, everything good in life must come to an end eventually. Maybe they will win the championship, but let’s be honest, it’s highly doubtful.

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