Stephen Curry has given the Golden State Warriors reasons to believe he can still lead a championship run. Folks are wondering whether they might, in turn, try giving him a high-end co-star to help him contend for the NBA crown.
The strategy seems relatively sound, since it could be another lifetime before the franchise finds another star of Curry’s caliber, but only for the right co-star. There are certain elites who’d qualify, but the seemingly available Anthony Davis is not one.
There are red-flag warnings and basketball reasons for the Dubs not to pursue Davis.
With the Nico Harrison-less Mavericks perhaps ready to reset around No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, Davis’ name is buzzing around the trade rumor mill. CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn recently ranked all 29 teams as possible landing spots for the Brow and somehow wound up with the Warriors at No. 1.
That is, respectfully speaking, a wild read on the situation, and that’s before getting into the colossal cost of the potential deal. Quinn paved two paths for the Warriors to take to Davis: sending out a package of Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green and either Moses Moody or Buddy Hield, or sacrificing Curry’s current co-star, Jimmy Butler, and draft picks.
Just focusing on the principal players involved, Green is an identity-shaping foundational force, while Butler has been a walking confidence-booster, an all-purpose need-filler, and an offensive hub during the non-Curry minutes. For the Warriors to even consider cutting ties with such a critical player, they’d have to be near certain that the reward would be worth all of the risk.
Where would they find that confidence in Davis? He’s had a detailed injury history, and those problems aren’t going away as he probes deeper into his 30s. His $54.1 million salary is already burdensome, and if he inks an extension off of this deal, it’s almost guaranteed to age like spoiled milk.
The contract alone might frighten off the Warriors, who need to nail every dollar spent around Curry. But giving up key contributors for the right to pay Davis $50 million-plus for part-time stardom? That has to be a deal-breaker for the Dubs.
In case it’s not, are we sure Davis even fits what the Warriors want to do? He’s skilled enough to figure it out, but he wouldn’t be the best version of himself. He’s an electric pick-and-roll player, but head coach Steve Kerr likes his offense to be more open than that. Davis could technically fit into the switch-heavy defensive scheme, but if you’re worried about his health already, do you really want him trying to cover that much real estate?
And what about the locker room? Green is a tone-setter who has long given this group its edge. Butler is a natural leader (especially when he’s satisfied with his pay rate). Losing either would shock the chemistry of this club.
It’s risk upon risk, worry after after, and all of this for a player who, if everything breaks absolutely right, probably can’t be more than the second- or third-best player on a championship team. This can’t possibly be the go-for-broke blockbuster that Golden State has saved all of its assets to broker.
