We’re in the absolute desert of the Boston Celtics’ offseason. The team’s roster is mostly finalized, there’s not many free-agent dominoes left to fall around the association, and now all fans can really do is wait until basketball is back to see how the team looks.
Now, there’s pretty much nothing going on -- which is exactly why you’re here. Over the past few days, fans and media have speculated online about the happiness of Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry.
Golden State’s lack of success over the past few seasons, combined with The San Francisco Chronicle’s Tim Kawakami’s recent report that the Warriors’ front office has begun to think about a future beyond Curry, has driven said movement.
"What (Joe) Lacob wants to do, and this might get Warriors' fans mad, but he wants to build the next team after Steph Curry," Kawakami said on The TK Show.
Kawakami was sure to clarify later on social media that the Warriors are also very interested in winning with Steph around, too.
Curry currently only has one season left on his contract and could become a free agent next summer. It would be shocking if he and the Warriors didn’t make an extension happen soon, though.
But…
What if they don’t?
What if there’s real motion for Curry to end his career outside of The Bay Area?
Well, the Celtics, of course, have Paul George’s contract to use to match the all-time three-point King’s salary in a sign-and trade, and they have plenty of draft picks to help sweeten the deal. Maybe they could swing a deal to bring Curry to town.
The Celtics would risk repeating the famous Nets trade by trading for Steph Curry
They just probably shouldn’t do it. That’s all.
Curry will turn 39 in March. By the time he’d hypothetically join the Cs, he’d be entering his age 40 season. Gutting the draft chest for a player, albeit an all-time great, in his final few years isn’t a wise move -- Boston should know this more than just about anyone.
Trading a 36-year-old Paul Pierce, 37-year-old Kevin Garnett, and 35-year-old Jason Terry to the Brooklyn Nets for several first-round picks is exactly how Boston built sustained success over the past decade.
All three players regressed, as older guys tend to, the Nets underachieved because of it, the Celtics reaped the rewards as Brooklyn’s picks became better, and they drafted Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.
In hindsight, everyone always talks about this trade like we all should’ve seen it coming. “How could you not know that Pierce, Garnett, and Terry all didn’t have much left in the tank?”
Well, how do we all know what Curry will have if/when he ever becomes available?
His shooting ability isn’t going anywhere. That’s probably the most consistent skill players have in terms of retention with age.
But, his ability to move on both ends of the floor will certainly decline. How much of defensive liability would the 6’3” guard be in his 40s?
Probably a significant one.
Let’s say Boston was to hypothetically trade the 2028 pick swap they received when they traded Brown earlier this month, and then their own 2030 and 2032 picks for Curry.
By the time the Celtics’ picks rolled around, the sharpshooter would likely have been long retired.
As fun as it sounds, the Cs would be wise to stay away from repeating history, just on the wrong side this time.
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