The Golden State Warriors were linked to various big-ticket names this offseason, including Paul George and Lauri Markkanen. However, the most notable players the team was able to reinforce the Stephen Curry -led roster were Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson.
That might be by design, as the Warriors didn't seem willing to mortgage their future to bring win-now players that probably wouldn't even get them over the hump. Still, folks like Stephen A. Smith are curious about why Golden State couldn't pair another superstar with Curry in the past years.
"Why couldn't they get Paul George?" Smith mused on "First Take ." "Why can't they get another superstar to pair with Steph Curry, especially in the aftermath of Kevin Durant's departure? Maybe you didn't feel the need to have anybody. I get that part because Klay Thompson is Klay Thompson, and Draymond [Green] is Draymond.
"But I'm still looking at the organization as a whole, specifically Steve Kerr, and I'm saying, 'How come we can't get this brother any additional help?'"
A shot at Kerr?
It's unclear if Smith intended to slight Kerr by particularly mentioning him as the possible reason Golden State hasn't been a prime destination for superstars. Maybe the ESPN analyst still hasn't gotten over the possibly outgoing Team USA coach's decision to bench Jayson Tatum in the Paris Olympics.
While the former Coach of the Year is undoubtedly a terrific coach, his unwavering resolve to stick to his offensive playbook instead of allowing his wards to improvise may have discouraged other stars from joining Curry.
It's also possible that the lack of financial flexibility has just made it unfeasible for the franchise to bring in additional expensive contracts. The Dubs have had one of the biggest payrolls in the NBA year after year, and without highly coveted assets besides Steph, signing free agents or trading for top stars has been difficult to accomplish.
How about Curry's window?
Still, Stephen A. appears concerned that Golden State is wasting Steph's remaining years as an elite offensive player, someone he described as good for "25 a game" and "40% shooting-plus from 3-point range." Smith also wants to know why a beloved figure by his teammates, other organizations, and the Bay Area has not been enough to attract other superstars.
It's unwise to write off the Warriors, though. They are just two years removed from winning a championship despite Curry's lack of superstar help.
Some might argue that losing Thompson and not replacing the former Splash Brother with someone like George or Markkanen is too huge a hurdle for Golden State to overcome.
However, avoiding a blockbuster trade might prove advantageous for the squad because such a deal would have likely required it to part ways with many roster pieces, including Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski.
Related: "It's very hard to keep things together in this league" – Curry doesn't think the Warriors' dynastic run will be replicated
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