Stephen Curry knew that the Golden State Warriors had a strong chance of landing LeBron James this offseason. But in the end, the two-time MVP was left in limbo like everyone else after LeBron shocked the world by signing with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Speaking to The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson II at Moses Moody’s youth basketball camp in Arkansas, Curry broke his silence about the failed pursuit for the first time and spoke about how nothing is guaranteed during NBA free agency.
“That’s why you don’t envision anything until it happens. There’s a lot of moving parts.”
It was a simple reaction, but one that shows how quickly the Warriors have to move on after missing out on the biggest free agent available this summer.
For weeks, the Warriors were one of the frontrunners for LeBron James’ next team. Rich Paul later revealed that the Warriors were one of the finalists, as Curry himself made two public pitches to convince LeBron to join the Warriors.
But instead, LeBron chose a different path.
His move to Philadelphia has stunned the NBA world, giving the Sixers a star-studded core featuring Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and LeBron himself. For the Warriors, it means another offseason missing out on another superstar addition they needed.
But Curry was not keen on dwelling on what could have been. Rather than expressing frustration, he acknowledged the reality facing the Warriors as they enter the 2026-27 season.
“The through line, which is hard on anybody in this situation, especially with us keeping this thing together, is knowing that when Jimmy got hurt and Moses got hurt, the whole calculus of everything changes. How do you get through their absence and still stay at a certain level? … I’m a realist on that.”
The injury factor is what continues to drive the Warriors’ outlook.
Jimmy Butler is working back from his ACL injury that ended his season, and Moses Moody is recovering from a torn patellar tendon. Without their two stars, adding a superstar or valuable pieces is even more important, as they have missed out on Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jaylen Brown earlier this offseason.
Despite turning 38 and getting ready for his 18th season, Curry made it clear that his goal remains the same: He wants to compete for a championship and build the strongest roster possible around him.
But some reports hint that the Warriors could be focused on the future, which would not sit well with Curry. Still, there is reason for optimism. We have seen in the past that Curry responds with his best basketball after injury-hampered seasons.
After playing in just 43 games last year, he will be focused on entering next season with a fully healthy offseason. The Warriors will need another peak Curry season to have any hopes in the stacked Western Conference.
The LeBron dream might be over, but Curry isn’t wasting time looking back at the past.
The Warriors could land another major piece in free agency, but Curry’s message suggests the Warriors are focused on getting the most out of what they still have. Whether that will be enough remains their biggest question as they gear up for another season.