Steph Curry scares off NBA superstars because of impact on their legacies

The Warriors have a problem. After standing pat this offseason, they’re allowing the end of Steph Curry’s career to swirl the drain.It’s obvious as things stand, they have no chance of competing for an NBA championship. But there’s light at the end of the tunnel. At the February trade deadline, they’re going to have some leverage with about $100 million in expiring contracts, including Jimmy Butler’s $56.8 million, Draymond Green’s $27.7 million and Kristaps Porzingis’ $20 million, minus his partial guarantee for next season. So, maybe they could make a big trade.

Or maybe they could set themselves up for a big free-agency acquisition next offseason.That’s a lot of maybes for Curry, who’s on an expiring contract himself and is eligible for a two-year, $136.7 million extension on Aug.

29. But the Warriors may have an even bigger problem. Do stars want to play for Golden State? Ten years ago, Kevin Durant made a decision that tainted his legacy. He left the Thunder for the Warriors in free agency in 2016, joining a team that had reached the NBA Finals two straight seasons and won a championship in 2015 behind Curry, Green and Klay Thompson.Durant went on to win back-to-back championships with the Warriors in 2017-2018, including being named Finals MVP both seasons. Even though he played a major role in the Warriors’ dynastic run, his decision to join a team that was already atop the mountain drew the ire of detractors.He has been accused of being a sellout.

Pundits question whether he could win without Curry, especially since he hasn’t made it past the second round of the playoffs since leaving the Warriors in 2019.Durant’s experience made a resounding impression around the league. So much so that when LeBron James became an unrestricted free agent this summer, Green believes concerns about how teaming up with Curry would negatively impact his legacy played a major role in him deciding not to come to Golden State. “I ulti...