With Klay Thompson gone, the Warriors are changing their face. Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Steve Kerr had been used to finding the back end at training camp for a decade. And his departure to the Mavericks will leave a void among the veterans.
“It's still weird. I haven't digested all these emotions yet,” recognizes Stephen Curry. “Just because it's one of those things you don't really realize until you get to October and walk into the locker room and see the familiar sights and sounds of Chase Center.”
However, the team's pillars had publicly demanded a return of Klay Thompson next season. But the “Splash Brother” has had a hard time digesting the last two seasons in the Bay and has preferred to turn the page.
“All things have to come to an end at some point. I wish it had happened differently. I wish the three of us could have continued as Warriors for our entire careers,” regrets the Warriors leader. “Klay Thompson made the decision that he felt was best for himself. What we were able to do together is special and it shows how hard it is to do that. So I'm going to choose to celebrate all the things that we've accomplished and all the experiences that we've had, instead of feeling any kind of resentment or getting upset. But it's still weird.”
Avoid the shallows
For his part, the 2022 Finals MVP would like to end up in the franchise that drafted him in 2009. On the condition of remaining competitive, and not simply playing for the Warriors to play for the Warriors…
“It’s tough, isn’t it? I always said I wanted to be a Warrior for life,” repeats Stephen Curry. “At this point in my career, I feel like it’s possible. And being competitive doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to win the title. It doesn’t necessarily mean winning. Winning is always a priority, but obviously you have to be realistic. It doesn’t mean it’s going to happen if you continue your career. You have to change things and continue to rethink things based on the league that’s out there, and the talent that’s out there.”
The idea is therefore to look more towards Tim Duncan than towards Kobe Bryant or Dirk Nowitzki, the Spurs having always built a team capable of playing in the playoffs around “Dream Tim”, until his retirement in 2016.
“I'm going to take it step by step to be honest. I think it's the only way to protect my happiness.” he concludes. “Plus, it benefits me when I play. And I’m going to continue to make the best decisions for me and my career ultimately, when it comes to making projections. I want to win. Let’s put it this way, it’s a long explanation to say that if that’s the situation is to stay in the deep end just to stay in, then I’m going to have a hard time with that. But I don’t think that’s going to be the reality.”
| Stephen Curry | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2009-10 | GOS | 80 | 36 | 46.2 | 43.7 | 88.5 | 0.6 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 5.9 | 3.2 | 1.9 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 17.5 |
| 2010-11 | GOS | 74 | 34 | 48.0 | 44.2 | 93.4 | 0.7 | 3.2 | 3.9 | 5.8 | 3.2 | 1.5 | 3.1 | 0.3 | 18.6 |
| 2011-12 | GOS | 26 | 28 | 49.0 | 45.5 | 80.9 | 0.6 | 2.8 | 3.4 | 5.3 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 0.3 | 14.7 |
| 2012-13 | GOS | 78 | 38 | 45.1 | 45.3 | 90.0 | 0.8 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 6.9 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 3.1 | 0.2 | 22.9 |
| 2013-14 | GOS | 78 | 37 | 47.1 | 42.4 | 88.5 | 0.6 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 8.5 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 3.8 | 0.2 | 24.0 |
| 2014-15 ★ | GOS | 80 | 33 | 48.7 | 44.3 | 91.4 | 0.7 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 7.7 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 3.1 | 0.2 | 23.8 |
| 2015-16 ★ | GOS | 79 | 34 | 50.4 | 45.4 | 90.8 | 0.9 | 4.6 | 5.4 | 6.7 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 3.3 | 0.2 | 30.1 |
| 2016-17 | GOS | 79 | 33 | 46.8 | 41.1 | 89.8 | 0.8 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 6.6 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 25.3 |
| 2017-18 | GOS | 51 | 32 | 49.5 | 42.3 | 92.1 | 0.7 | 4.4 | 5.1 | 6.1 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 26.4 |
| 2018-19 | GOS | 69 | 34 | 47.2 | 43.7 | 91.6 | 0.7 | 4.7 | 5.4 | 5.2 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 27.3 |
| 2019-20 | GOS | 5 | 28 | 40.2 | 24.5 | 100.0 | 0.8 | 4.4 | 5.2 | 6.6 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 20.8 |
| 2020-21 | GOS | 63 | 34 | 48.2 | 42.1 | 91.6 | 0.5 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 5.8 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 3.4 | 0.1 | 32.0 |
| 2021-22 | GOS | 64 | 35 | 43.7 | 38.0 | 92.3 | 0.5 | 4.7 | 5.2 | 6.3 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 25.5 |
| 2022-23 | GOS | 56 | 35 | 49.3 | 42.7 | 91.5 | 0.7 | 5.4 | 6.1 | 6.3 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 29.4 |
| 2023-24 | GOS | 74 | 33 | 45.0 | 40.8 | 92.3 | 0.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 26.4 |
| Total | 956 | 34 | 47.3 | 42.6 | 91.0 | 0.7 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 6.4 | 2.3 | 1.5 | 3.1 | 0.3 | 24.8 | |
How to read the stats? GM = Games Played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots Made / Shots Attempted; 3pts = 3-pointers / 3-pointers Attempted; LF = Free Throws Made / Free Throws Attempted; Off = Offensive Rebound; Def = Defensive Rebound; Tot = Total Rebounds; Pd = Assists; Fte: Personal Fouls; Int = Steals; Bp = Loose Balls; Ct: Blocks; Pts = Points.
