As Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors continue to slide in his absence, the franchise’s years as an NBA championship contender appear firmly in the rearview.
However, according to FS1’s Nick Wright, Los Angeles Lakers star forward LeBron James potentially jumping ship to his longtime rival for Year 24 could somewhat revitalize Curry and Co.
Nick Wright Claims Signing LeBron James Is Warriors’ Only Realistic Pathway to Resuscitate Stephen Curry Era
Curry has not suited up since Jan. 30 due to a lingering right knee injury, with Golden State (34-38) struggling to stay afloat without its offensive engine. The Warriors have gone just 7-15 during his absence, dropping them to 11-22 without the two-time MVP this season.
As Golden State grows further entrenched in 10th place in the Western Conference with no hope to escape the play-in tournament and secure a top-six seed, questions are mounting about whether Curry should even bother returning.
On Tuesday’s edition of “First Things First,” Wright expressed admiration for the Warriors attempting to foster belief among their fan base before acknowledging that the aging, injury-plagued team will be hard-pressed to secure a playoff spot.
“Listen, I respect Steph and [Steve] Kerr for the mentality of ‘we’re a pro basketball team and pro basketball players, and if he’s healthy, he’s gonna play.’ … I think they’re drawing dead in the play-in,” Wright began.
Wright continued to break down Golden State’s growing irrelevance, emphasizing how far removed they are from their dominance in Curry’s prime. The analyst then brought up recent “rumblings” that James could team up with Curry in free agency as the organization’s only avenue to drum up excitement.
“I think it’s going to be a quiet close to Steph and Golden State because — if Bron’s there, it won’t be quiet, next year it’ll be a big show — but without him, I don’t think Jimmy Butler, at his age, coming back from an ACL [tear], moves the needle substantially,” Wright said.
“I don’t think they’re getting Giannis [Antetokounmpo]. And Steph is still great, but he is 38, he is a smaller player, and he has dealt with injuries all year now, where he’s gonna play half the season. He’s played 39 games.”
Nick Wright anticipates a “quiet close” to the Warriors’ Stephen Curry era unless they sign LeBron James in free agency. pic.twitter.com/38ZEEk9puh
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While Curry has been limited to 39 outings in Year 17, James has settled into a tertiary role on a surging Lakers squad sitting third in the West (46-26), providing complementary scoring, playmaking, and veteran savviness. Still, the 22-time All-Star is set to turn 42 early next season and could be in store for further decline.
As such, while Wright noted that such a storyline would be “fun and cool,” the longtime James supporter acknowledged that the rumored move is “not gonna win [Golden State] the [2027] title.”
