An Aging Core: The Warriors’ Closing Championship Window

How much time does Stephen Curry have left? A look at history and the current Golden State roster.

Following a 119-107 home win against the Philadelphia 76ers (29-17), the Golden State Warriors (20-24) are just 1.5 games out of the Play-In Tournament. The 35-year-old Stephen Curry poured in 37 points on Tuesday night, following a season-high 46 points in a 2OT loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

While the Play-In provides fans with a taste of playoff basketball, the Warriors’ championship aspirations are all but sealed this season. With Stephen Curry turning 36 in March, the question looms: How much time does Curry have to win another ring?

The answer isn’t straightforward but an examination of historical trends, the current core and future plans can help us understand how much longer Curry has to win a ring in Golden State.

Windows of the past

Aging stars who’ve been integral parts of championship runs are few and far between, with the two prime examples being Kareem (40yo for his last ring in ‘88) and Tim Duncan (37yo for his last ring in ‘14). Both players won rings in their older years as pieces of the puzzle rather than roles as “the man,” and the two Hall of Famers' late rings came from a three-pronged approach: 1. access to young, MVP-level talent in Magic Johnson and Kawhi Leonard 2. deep rosters with veteran experience, and 3. legendary coaches in Pat Riley and Greg Popovich.

While any NBA Finals run has a wide array of variables, according to the NBA 75’s list of top 15 coaches in league history, Curry has at least one of the three requirements to win at an old age: a coach at the level of Riley and Pop. Despite the success of the past decade, Warriors fans might disagree that Steve Kerr is the perfect man for the job right now. Nonetheless, a coach is nothing without their roster, something that the Warriors need to rebuild.

The current core

At the start of the ‘23-’24 campaign, many thought the Warriors had the roster of a contender. However, whether it be aging and underperforming vets, or underdeveloped youth, the team finds itself at 12th in the Western Conference at the end of January. 

So with the physical (and possibly mental) decline of Wiggins, Klay, Draymond, and Looney continuing to accelerate, and the inevitable injuries of Chris Paul, is there any hope within the current roster? Well, yes, and no?

With the emergence of rookie Brandin Podziemnski (who Steve Kerr likens to Manu Ginobili) and the steady shooting/energy of Moses Moody, the Warriors do have solid and young rotation players. On top of that, Dario Saric has shown the ability to facilitate and shoot throughout this season, despite many questioning his defensive prowess. 

Undoubtedly, there is enough talent within those eight to help in the rotations of a championship-level roster (or to make rotation-level trades). But the missing piece for Curry is a star who can elevate his play and take a burden off of his shoulders. Could Jonathan Kuminga be that piece?

Kuminga: Untapped or overrated potential?

For a championship run, Curry needs a true star, and in the past three weeks, he’s gotten just that. Over the past seven games, Jonathan Kuminga has averaged 25.1 ppg, 6.7 trb, and 1.3 steals, all while shooting over 60% from the field.

Being compared to legends like Shawn Marion and Kawhi Leonard, Kuminga has begun to blossom into a two-way player with tremendous upside. Though his shooting and IQ are worlds away from the levels of the two aforementioned NBA champions, his 6-8 frame and nearly 7-0 wingspan give him an athletic edge over most wings in today’s NBA.

When comparing him to Tim Duncan’s young sidekick, Kawhi Leonard, Kuminga is actually averaging more points than Kawhi did in his third season, edging him out 14.8 ppg to 12.8 ppg. On top of that, Kuminga (21) is a year younger than Kawhi was at that time.

With all that being said, Kawhi is one of the top 30 players of all-time, a 2x Finals MVP, and a 2x DPOY, so there’s a chasm between the two players’ resumés and talent. But Kuminga may be just a year or two removed from truly helping Curry make a deep playoff run.

Is there still hope?

Curry still has time, but the Warriors’ front office is on a tight schedule and needs to pull the trigger on moves sooner rather than later. While the trade market is slow this season, adding key rotational players for next season seems to be the best option. The all-star level talent in free agency next year is scarce too, with Pascal Siakim and Demar Derozan being the only realistic options.

A glimmer of hope shines in the fact that the newfound longevity of NBA stars might mean Curry has a wider window compared to the superstars of the past. With Lebron (39yo, 24.9 ppg), Durant (35yo, 28.3 ppg), and Curry (35, 27.5 ppg) all playing at All-NBA levels, Curry may have a season or two longer than Kareem and Duncan ever did. 

So whether you’re a diehard Golden State fan or simply admire Curry’s game, the hope of him bringing his 5th ring to the Bay persists. You might just need to be patient.