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Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles past the defense of Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half of a game at Intuit Dome on January 05, 2026 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
It is beginning to feel like now or never, sink or swim for the Golden State Warriors.
In a few weeks, the Warriors will enter yet another offseason with numerous questions hanging over them, none bigger than what immediate direction the franchise wants to take.
Just a few years ago, the team was victorious with the Larry O’Brien Trophy in its hands. It had a unique blend of veteran and developing talent. Everything was pointing at another long Warriors run that the NBA saw from 2014 to 2019.
But little did anyone know that glory after the 2022 title wouldn’t even last until next spring. Golden State quickly went back to looking mediocre.
In four years since scaling the mountaintop, it can be confidently said the Warriors are not built to scare anyone as currently constructed.
So they must do something now.
Golden State Warriors believed to be aggressive this summer
Stephen Curry is still the center of the Dubs’ universe. That’s exactly why Golden State has no time to waste.
Curry, 38, is still elite when on the court. A special emphasis on the “when” considering what has happened this season.
His offensive gravity is still unlike arguably any player to ever lace up a pair of gym shoes. So it begs the question why the Warriors haven’t gone harder at getting a seismic deal done to land him a superstar co-star. After all, the two-time MVP isn’t getting any younger.
But help could be on the way.
The Warriors landed Jimmy Butler in a trade deadline splash a year ago, but Butler is now rehabbing a torn ACL and isn’t guaranteed to play next season.
It is already devastating to think a going-on 39-year-old would see another year wasted away. No one knows how much longer he’ll stay among the giants of the NBA.
For that reason, Golden State has reportedly been preparing to go after a big name. That big name is Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, according to Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard.
“But let’s just note that NBA sources indicated recently that a few teams contacted the Clippers about trading for Kawhi at the deadline, wondering if the Clippers might just want out of the Kawhi business before the league ruling,” Kawakami wrote. “The Clippers didn’t engage on the talks, but I wouldn’t doubt that one of the inquiring teams was the Warriors.”
Added Kawakami: “It’s possible. It’s big and it’s a bit reckless. But going hard after either Kawhi or LeBron is exactly what the moment is demanding of the Warriors right now. And [Warriors] Joe Lacob and [general manager] Mike Dunleavy probably already put all of this and more on the white board months ago.”
Is it worth going after Leonard for the Dubs?
Here’s what certainly is not worth it: trying to go another season without making a significant upgrade.
Again, this conversation exists merely because of Curry. Had he been some geezer and over the hill, it would make perfect sense to start prioritizing and developing youth. This year’s pool of prospects slated for the NBA Draft look promising.
But the Warriors have to look a little beyond that for now. Not that they shouldn’t be drafting well in the meantime.
The machinations behind a Leonard transaction would be complex. Golden State has limited assets and financial power. Leonard is on a massive contract. Oh, and he’s approaching his mid-30s.
GettyINGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 09: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
But that doesn’t mean trying to land him is pure silliness.
Had this topic been brought up before this season, perhaps many Warriors fans would have vehemently opposed to pursuing Leonard. But the 34-year-old Clippers star has rediscovered magic this year.
He has helped L.A. rattle off a massive turnaround after a 6-21 start. He has remained surprisingly healthy and is registering numbers that rival his days with the Toronto Raptors and his first couple of years with the Clippers.
There’s precedent of an elite shooting and slashing wing next to Curry. His name is Kevin Durant. Though Leonard is a lesser version of what Durant was when he was in Golden State, he plays well off the ball, can initiate the offense, spot up and shoot it and guard on the other end.
The fit would be seamless. Even between a pair of aging stars.
Pairing Leonard with Curry, Draymond Green and Kristaps Porzingis makes Golden State far more formidable next season. If and when Butler returns healthy, although that may not be next season, the team has itself a no-joke core that it can expect playoff success from.
Even if Butler isn’t ready until the 2027-28 season, in which Curry will turn 40 (yes, 40), the former unanimous MVP plays so well off the ball — and will be able to shoot it historically well until he’s like 90 anyway — that there is room for four stars to make it work. At least one is guard, one is a wing and one is a big man.
For now, the Warriors are left trying to navigate a dreadful season.
They are locked into the play-in tournament, but the likelihood they make it past that is slim. Chances are even slimmer they win a first round series.
All eyes will quickly turn to the offseason after the season is over. Dubs fans won’t be sitting patiently this time.