Photo: Peter Baba

Stephen Curry understands the reality of the NBA landscape heading into next season – the Golden State Warriors will not be considered the odds-on favorites to win it all. Still, the four-time champion is not shying away from setting his sights on the game’s ultimate prize.

“I truly believe we can be championship relevant,” he told ClutchPoints’ Julian Ojeda. “We have a team that’s capable of achieving that level again… I think it’s realistic to build towards that.”

At 37 years old, Curry has spent the summer in a reflective mode, evaluating both what’s left to chase and how achievable those ambitions remain.

For him, the calculation keeps coming back to one goal: securing a fifth championship ring. Achieving that feat would place him in elite company alongside legends such as Magic Johnson, Tim Duncan, and Kobe Bryant – players who each led their franchises to five championships.

“I think for me that’s literally the only thing I’m playing for at this point,” Curry said, leaving no doubt about his focus.

The Warriors found renewed life after acquiring Jimmy Butler in a midseason trade, posting a stellar 22-5 record in games where both Butler and Curry suited up.

The player finished the year with averages of 24.5 points and 6.0 assists per game, shooting 39.7% from beyond the arc and a blistering 93.3% at the free throw line.

While his scoring output marked his lowest in a full season since 2014/15, his production surged after Butler’s arrival – climbing to 27.3 points per game while hitting 40.8% of his threes down the stretch.

Golden State carried that momentum into the postseason, edging the Houston Rockets in a grueling seven-game first-round series.

However, their playoff run came to an abrupt halt in the Western Conference semifinals, where they fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games.

Curry’s injury just 13 minutes into Game 1 proved to be a pivotal blow the team could not overcome.

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