Warriors Prepping for Doomsday?

The Golden State Warriors can't rest on their history as Stephen Curry openly yearns for a championship-level roster. After the Warriors refused to play ball with the Utah Jazz in a trade for Lauri Markkanen, the opportunity to acquire an All-Star has become quite unlikely. If the Warriors don't move accordingly, could Curry lead in free agency to pair with his Team USA teammate?

ESPN's Bobby Marks presented a scenario where Curry and LeBron James link up for one last hurrah in free agency.

"LeBron James signed a two-year contract this past offseason. With that contract, there is a player option. He doesn't have a three-year contract or a four-year contract; he has a player option. He can become a free agent once again next offseason and pick his team that he would want to go to," Marks said.

James is notorious for putting immense pressure on any team for which he plays. He doesn't accept good if it's not good enough to contend for an NBA championship. Since winning the NBA Finals in 2020, the Lakers clinched a berth in the Western Conference Finals in 2023 but haven't done anything else resembling a threat to winning the NBA championship.

Marks marked 2026 as the year to watch for as Curry becomes a free agent.

"The big thing to keep an eye on is maybe the summer of 2026. Steph Curry has two years left on his contract... He could become a free agent also. So certainly LeBron next offseason, or potentially the summer of '26 when both could be free agents, Marks said.

If the Warriors don't abide by Curry's open expectations, the franchise shouldn't act surprised if he leaves for a better opportunity to win.