The season of the Golden State Warriors finds itself at a crossroads that blends sporting urgency with the physical fragility of its greatest legend. Against this backdrop, former player and current NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins has put forward a proposal that has shaken the foundations of the Bay Area.
Perkins has said something that is already making the rounds on social media, but his far-fetched idea has solid foundations. In the analyst’s view, what Golden State must do is keep Stephen Curryoff the court for the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign.
“Shut Steph down. Let the others play out the rest. See which pieces really fit,” Perkins said on the Road Trippin‘ podcast.
For Perkins, keeping Curry on the floor only serves to mask the shortcomings of a roster that needs deep surgery: “This offseason is probably the most important for the franchise since Steph arrived. Mike Dunleavy has to do his damn job and secure pieces so Curry can compete for the title next year.”
In Perkins’ opinion, it is necessary for the team to think about the future, not just this season where they are currently in play-in position, but about a medium- and long-term project in which Curry might no longer be there.
Curry’s knee: Between caution and the desire to play
Perkins’ controversial suggestion comes at a delicate moment, as Stephen Curry is currently sidelined with a knee injury. Although the team plans to reevaluate him next week, the uncertainty has fueled rumors about whether “The Chef” should return to cooking this year or hang up the apron until next season.
Despite outside pressure for the Warriors to “throw in the towel,” head coach Steve Kerr has been firm in his stance: “We’re not going to do anything silly with Curry, obviously. We’re protecting him, but as soon as he’s healthy, he’ll play. That’s what this is about. We have a lot at stake,” Kerr said on 95.7 The Game, completely ruling out the possibility of shutting the point guard down for good.
Curry himself, at 37 years old, has shown his frustration at being in the infirmary. “If you’re healthy, you can play. I’m trending well and hopefully it won’t be much longer,” he told NBC Sports.
Averaging 27.2 points per game and shooting 93.1% from the free-throw line, Curry remains among the league’s elite, even while earning $59.6 million under his current contract.
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