STATELINE, Nev. – Gazing into the future of the Warriors this week and realizing the NBA chatter surrounding a possible return of Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry opted for the prudent conclusion.
Neither yea, nor nay.
Though Curry did not specifically address the improbability of a Warriors-KD reunion, he was careful to spare an invitation to his former teammate -- and surely is aware of the message that would send to many of the teammates with which he celebrated an NBA Finals victory three weeks ago.
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“The rumor mill and all that stuff is part of the nature of the NBA and league,” Curry told NBC Sports Bay Area this week. “You take it for what it is.
“You know how quickly things can change, but I like where we’re at.”
Speaking from the American Century Championship golf tournament in South Lake Tahoe, Steph seemed at ease with the direction of the team even if the front office avoids the seismic shift required to bring Durant back for a second tour.
Luring KD back to Golden State would require, for salary equalizing, swapping Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, James Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga. In short, half of those expected to be among the top eight players next season.
Golden State Warriors
Curry is placing considerable trust in the current core, in which he is joined by Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, to keep the Warriors at or near the top of the league. They are 22-0 in postseason series in which all three played in every game.
“There’s a lot of confidence in that,” the two-time MVP said.
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Steph then went through the top of the roster, from Kevon Looney and Wiggins and Poole to Moses Moody and Kuminga and Wiseman, exuding confidence in what’s possible in 2022-23.
Those six players, along with the core trio and free-agent signee Donte DiVincenzo and likely represent 10 roster spots from which the primary rotation will be created. Another veteran free agent still could enter that group.
“There’s a lot of optimism, a lot of energy, about where we’re going,” Curry said.