For a while there, it looked like the Warriors would again be turning back the clock. They certainly hit the ground running, going 12-3 in the first month of the season. And then they folded for one reason or another, their sighting of another Larry O’Brien Trophy — always the ultimate objective in the Stephen Curry era — exposed as a mirage. Since then, they’ve gone 7-17 to fall below .500 midway through the new year. Not even a trade that they figured would elicit change managed to arrest the slide.
On Tuesday, the Warriors hit a new low, bowing to the hapless Raptors in abhorrent fashion. Once again, they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory; in what has now become a familiar refrain, they put in a poor performance in the clutch. And if their latest swoon feels more pronounced, it’s because they experienced it against opponents holding the worst record in the National Basketball Association. There was no cause for them to absorb a setback, their travails notwithstanding, not with Curry on tap and still capable of weaving his unique brand of magic. But they did, anyway, leading to the familiar sight of long faces in the locker room.
Needless to say, Steve Kerr was not happy in his post-mortem. He continued to exude confidence, although, of course, it was both a necessity and a manifestation of hope. There remains some, after all; the Warriors have more than half the 2024-25 campaign to navigate. Then again, they’re evidently swimming against the current. And if their pronouncements are to be a gauge, they’re not keen on mortgaging their future for a better present. They’re open to getting help through the trade route, but how much help? And at what cost?
The Warriors are caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Prudence presupposes a lack of belief that Curry and company can turn things around even with an influx of talent. The flip side is that going all in carries with it a not insignificant risk. Their transcendent star is on the wane, and an argument can be made to maximize any prime time he has left. There’s just one problem; there is an equally compelling defense of staying put if the alternative does not definitely bring the hardware closer.
It’s unfortunate, really, because the fans deserve better than seeing the Warriors wallow in mediocrity while Curry plays out the rest of his days in the league.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
