Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors have won four championships together. However, as Curry enters the new season as a 35-year-old, there is more pressure than ever for the veteran superstar to challenge for championships as he looks to end his career on a high note.
The Warriors have rebuilt their supporting cast this summer, investing in some younger talent while also bringing in another aging veteran in Chris Paul. Joe Lacob and Mike Dunleavy are committed to bringing more championships to the Chase Center with their dominant core, regardless of age or difficulty.
Here are five reasons why Steph Curry may never win another championship:
#1. An aging roster
Steph Curry is 35 while Klay Thompson is 33 and has two major injuries to his name. Chris Paul is 38 and has never won a championship ring. Draymond Green is also 33 and entering the final stages of his career. Winning a championship with a younger team isn’t easy.
Doing it with a roster led by veterans, all of whom will need additional time to rest and are no longer the athletes they once were, is a tall order. We saw the Los Angeles Lakers fail with this approach when they missed the postseason in 2022.
Golden State has struggled to develop young talent in recent years, and given their depth at the back end of their career, a championship is a tall order.
#2. Curry’s off-ball movement may begin to slow down
It might not be this season, but Curry’s relentless off-ball movement will eventually begin to slow down. Curry’s off-ball style of play requires significant energy and conditioning — the type of conditioning that gets harder to maintain as the body ages.
Curry’s movement is a core part of the Warriors’ offensive structure; without that movement, the team will be at risk of grinding their way through multiple stagnant offensive possessions.
#3. Finding new talent
The Golden State Warriors have been a tax-paying team throughout their dynasty — it’s the price of sustained success. However, with the new second-tax apron and the punitive punishments that go with it, the Warriors may struggle to inject fresh young talent into their rotation in the coming seasons.
As the Warriors core continues to age, that additional youth will begin to carry more significance. As such, Dunleavy will need to get creative in his roster construction. Otherwise, the Warriors could hit a sharp decline in the coming years.
#4. New talent is taking over the league
For all of the star power the Warriors possess, some new kids are on the block, and they’re hungry for success. Devin Booker, Ja Morant and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, to name a few, are all ready to take big steps in their development and take over the NBA.
Factor in the dominance of big men like Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid, and the parity around the NBA and championships are tough to come by.
Sure, Curry and the Warriors have unrivaled experience in the NBA Finals, but they need to reach that point before that experience becomes an advantage.
#5. There are other hungry teams with veteran superstars
For all that can be said about the young talent making leaps in their development, there is also another veteran star in the NBA fighting to add more rings to his legacy. His name is LeBron James, and he is truly defying the aging process.
If Golden State, and by extension, Curry, is going to win another championship, they will need to get through LeBron and the Lakers.
The only difference between the two franchises right now is that the Lakers have more balance in terms of age and talent, and that could give them a competitive edge over the next few years.
