SAN FRANCISCO — Somewhere in the far fringes of the multiverse, the young, upstart Golden State Warriors are just starting to hit their stride.
Jonathan Kuminga is a 25-point-per-game scorer. Jordan Poole is an All-Star. Brandin Podziemski is putting up triple-doubles. Moses Moody is a versatile 3-and-D connector. Trayce Jackson-Davis is the elite vertical spacer the Warriors have always craved. James Wiseman, given time to develop without immediate expectations, has blossomed into a starting-caliber center with promising upside. Steve Kerr has gleefully transitioned into his late-career Gregg Popovich mentoring role, rediscovering his joy for the game through teaching like Pete Bell under the playground lights in “Blue Chips.”
The words themselves are now a Rodney Dangerfield-worthy punchline, but, to be honest, the “two timelines” strategy actually could have worked.
Back in our universe, however, none of that is possible. And that’s due to one reason and one reason only: Wardell Stephen Curry II.
By age 37, Curry was supposed to be riding off into the sunset on his farewell tour. He’d almost certainly still be a Warrior, but his warlock powers would be wearing thin as he graciously ceded the spotlight to the youthful rising core. After all, smaller guards begin their rapid descent in their early 30s — or so the adage goes.
Mix in the early career ankle problems and the literal miles put on his body every game due to his unrelenting off-ball movement (2.4 miles per game last season at an average offensive speed of 4.8 miles per hour), and you wouldn’t exactly be laughed out of the room for thinking Curry would no longer be a championship centerpiece in his 17th NBA season.
Yet here we are, in 2025, and every move Golden State has made over the past few years has been in service of Curry, who’s still one of the handful of NBA superstars capable of being the best player on a championship team. It’s why the Warriors traded Andrew Wiggins for Jimmy Butler. It’s why they signed Draymond Green to a four-year extension. It’s why they…
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