Giannis Antetokounmpo Can Save Stephen Curry’s Warriors as Steve Kerr’s Job Hangs in Balance, Per Insider

Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry is still bending defenses to his will, but everything around him is heavier, slower, and less certain. Even from a distance, the problem with the team is clear: age, injury, and failed development. The Warriors are at a rare NBA crossroads where loyalty, competitiveness, and legacy are all pulling in different directions.

“It’s tough right now, ET, to watch the Golden State Warriors,” NBA insider Chris Mannix told co-host Evan Turner during an episode of Open Floor. “Steph Curry’s still playing at a Steph Curry-like level. He is great, but the pieces around him just aren’t making sense anymore.”

It’s clear to anyone watching the Warriors that the tension between Curry’s brilliance and a roster that isn’t enough to compete has become the defining issue of the team’s season so far. Draymond Green remains the emotional leader, and Mannix was careful to not dismiss his overall impact, but it’s clear that the role has changed.

Mannix detailed the limitations with Green at this stage in his career, especially his lack of outside shooting, as well as being forced to play full-time center for the Warriors instead of being a power forward. Leaning into smaller lineups might have been the new thing a decade ago, but now, all it leads to is a regression with Green’s play.

That limitation is important because the Warriors do not have the luxury of being able to hide their weaknesses with overwhelming talent. Jonathan Kuminga, one of the team’s young pieces hasn’t been able to develop as the team hoped, with Mannix openly suggesting a trade is coming. The only question left is how much value is left to extract.

“Kuminga’s value has kind of bottomed out,” Mannix said. “He hasn’t played well. He’s been injured. His clashes with Steve Kerr are becoming a bigger and bigger deal. Teams aren’t bending over backwards to go get Jonathan Kuminga right now.”

Now, what does the end of Stephen Curry’s future look like? A graceful but hopeless decline spent fighting uphill battles, or one last aggressive swing to stay relevant at the top?

Giannis Antetokounmpo Gamble May Be Warriors’ Last Path Forward With Stephen Curry

Evan Turner didn’t hesitate to discuss how extreme the Warriors’ options have become, and for him, there’s only one move that can truly alter the team’s trajectory.

“This summer, like I remember seeing [Stephen Curry] and [Giannis Antetokounmpo] have a conversation,” Turner told Mannix. “That’s the only way I think this could work.”