Kendra Andrews, ESPNJul 7, 2024, 11:54 PM ET
Stephen Curry said he doesn't think there will be another dynasty in the NBA like the one the Golden State Warriors had.
Curry, in the wake of Klay Thompson's departure last week to the Dallas Mavericks, told ESPN that he believes what the Warriors built with Thompson, Draymond Green and himself is unlikely to be repeated.
"I mean obviously defining a dynasty can take a lot of different looks," Curry said in an interview with ESPN's Malika Andrews. "People thought this was over in 2019 ... but 2022 was an amazing championship because we defied the odds ... That's 11 years of almost 12 years of championship relevancy built around a certain core.
"I don't think [it will be replicated] just because it's very hard to keep things together in this league. A lot more player movement. Me, Klay and Draymond, we complemented each other so well for so long. We all brought something different to the table, so we'll see. Records are meant to be broken. Dynasties come all different shapes inside of us, so we'll see."
Curry said it "sucks" not to have Thompson as his teammate anymore, noting he "desperately" wanted him back in a Warriors uniform this season. But he held equal respect and understanding that Thompson needed a fresh start.
Curry said his biggest desire is for Thompson to regain the joy he played with for so much of his career.
"It's something that I never imagined would be a reality, but we want him to be happy," Curry said.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr used the word "bizarre" to describe what it will be like not having Thompson on his roster this season. It probably won't feel real for him or the Warriors until they arrive at media day in September and don't see Thompson there.
"This has become a family over the years and people have watched us grow and stay together and succeed and fail," Kerr said. "So Klay leaves, it's like, yeah, it's bizarre for us, it's bizarre for everybody. [But] everybody is given a ton of freedom here and they have to do what's in their heart. The best thing for Klay, he needed a change."
In part, the Warriors needed a change, too. Not specifically a change from Thompson, but a change from the past two seasons -- when they were bounced from the playoffs in the second round in 2023 and then eliminated from the play-in tournament in 2024.
With two years remaining on Curry's contract, the Warriors' No. 1 priority is taking advantage of what he has left.
Golden State has acquired Kyle Anderson, De'Anthony Melton and Buddy Hield since agreeing to trade Thompson to the Mavericks, and the team is expected to put a bigger emphasis on budding players like Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis.
Curry said he's fully aware the Warriors will look more different than ever, leading to a greater learning curve. He also knows what they're able to accomplish is more unknown than ever, too.
There was a comfort for Curry in taking the court every night next to Thompson. Even when Thompson was sidelined for two seasons with injuries, having him on the bench or in the locker room -- even in the moments Curry had to give him a pep talk -- gave an overwhelming sense of familiarity that is rare in the NBA.
"We would've loved to maintain the core and finish out together," Curry said. "... So you have to be able to celebrate what we accomplished and be able to move."
As for Curry individually, he still plans to finish his career with the only team he has ever known.
"Being in one place for my own career, and it's like a broken record, but I know it's really hard to do that," he said. "I want to be greedy and say we can be relevant and be in the mix and give ourselves a realistic chance to win while I'm still growing these gray hairs and doing high school visits in the Bay [Area] for my daughter. It's crazy. [It's] just the nature of where I'm at. But yes, all that to say I love the Bay and the Bay is home and I never want that to change."
