Theer are growing whispers that Steph Curry end up being the next superstar to demand a trade?
Even as we enter the dog days of the NBA offseason, the Golden State Warriors seem to be pushing hard for a Lauri Markkanen trade. After losing Klay Thompson in free agency, it's become clear that Golden State has to make a big move to significantly upgrade their roster if they're going to compete for a championship this season.
If they fall short in significantly upgrading their roster, it could naturally bring about big questions regarding Steph Curry's future with the team. And while it seems unlikely for Curry to demand a trade, the recent whispers could indicate differently.
There are all of a sudden more whispers that Curry could be itching to play for a contender and if the Warriors aren't going to be that this season, he could want out. This was something that was echoed a couple of weeks ago by Marc Spears. This is now two different "reports," if that's what you want to call it. Generally in the NBA, where there's smoke, there's usually a fire.
The Golden State Warriors shouldn't panic - yet
That said, I don't think we should sound the fire alarms just yet. The Warriors clearly have this sense of pressure on their shoulders to build a contender around Curry. That much is clear by how aggressive they've reportedly been in trade talks with the Utah Jazz in their pursuits of Markkanen.
But if that pursuit does end in nothing, you can't help but wonder where that could leave the Warriors. With how their roster is right now, the Warriors are not in a place where they can contend for a championship. In fact, there's no guarantee that they'd even be able to carve out a playoff spot in the deep Western Conference.
Both the Warriors and Curry know this. At a certain point, Curry will have to decide whether he's willing to ride it out with the Warriors in hopes that a difference-making trade materializes for the Warriors in the next few months, or if he's ready to ask for a trade in an attempt to put himself in a position where he can compete for a championship again - away from Golden State.
None of this will be easy and both sides know this. It's an awkward situation I'm not sure anyone knows how it will end. For now, though, you'd have to imagine Curry is hoping the Warriors can swing a trade for a star. Maybe Markkanen ends up being that target.