“Doesn’t deserve this” – Stephen Curry considers leaving the Warriors while his teammates are struggling???
Kendrick Perkins wants Chef Curry to leave Golden State Warriors.
Even with Stephen Curry maintaining an impressive scoring average of 29.1 points over 21 games in the 2023-24 season, the Golden State Warriors surprisingly stand outside the Play-In Tournament berth. In light of the Dubs’ turbulent circumstances, Kendrick Perkins urged the two-time MVP to consider leaving the franchise, especially with all his teammates facing challenging situations.
“Free him from all the BS that’s around him. You think about the situation between Klay Thompson and the front office with the contract tension they have. You look at Andrew Wiggins, who’s playing this year like he doesn’t give a damn,” Perkins said. “You’re watching a guy like Draymond Green that’s not reliable and acting out of character, embarrassing the franchise and the league. Steph doesn’t deserve this… We cannot waste Steph Curry’s valuable time while he’s still here.”
“Free him from all the BS that’s around him. We cannot waste Steph Curry's valuable time while he's still here."
Kendrick Perkins says Curry needs to get out of Golden State 😳
(via @ESPNNBA)pic.twitter.com/cod99dIAuo
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 13, 2023
Perkins is right about the Warriors
In a rare moment of alignment with reality, Big Perk raised a valid concern. Given ample time to recover from his Achilles tear, Klay Thompson was expected to resume his role as Steph’s scoring support. However, across 22 games this season, the five-time All-Star has averaged 15.4 points per game, accompanied by a career-low 34.3% shooting rate from downtown.
Andrew Wiggins is playing poorly, adding to the Warriors’ troubles. The former No. 1 pick went from being the second-best player on the team, averaging 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in the 2022 playoffs, to experiencing a sharp decline in the 2023-24 season. He’s struggling with a career-low average of 12.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.1. assists per game, coupled with a dismal 27.9% shooting from beyond the arc.
Despite the anticipation surrounding Chris Paul’s arrival, Golden State has not seen any positive impact. In an unprecedented twist, the ‘Point God’ finds himself grappling with unfamiliar challenges, unable to make a meaningful contribution. Notably, the five-time assists champion is enduring the lowest scoring average of his career, at 8.9 points per game.
Lastly, Draymond Green stands out as the Warriors’ primary setback in the 2023-24 season. His questionable decisions have not only contributed to agonizing losses for the team but, in a shocking development, the 2017 DPOY finds himself indefinitely suspended for a punch delivered to Jusuf Nurkic. To make matters even worse, the 2022 champions face the daunting prospect of navigating a challenging period without their defensive anchor, especially when they are 10-13 in the season.
What should the Warriors do to help Curry?
Many, like Perkins, are desperate to witness Curry succeed. However, the prevailing inconsistency within the Warriors’ roster poses a formidable challenge. They need to tweak their team roster to take on this uphill battle in making a resounding comeback in the West.
Safe to say, rather than Steph seeking an exit, the more practical option is for GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. to make strategic moves to help the Warriors bounce back in the championship race before the deadline. Moreover, given that Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga, and Brandin Podziemski are good young players but don’t align with Steph’s timeline of winning a title now, a change seems a must for Steve Kerr’s team.
