At the time of this article, the Warriors, led by Curry and a revamped starting five, are already 4-3 in the young 2025-2026 NBA season. Showing no signs of having lost a step in his 17th NBA season, Curry already has one 40-point game with the amazing come-from-behind win over the Denver Nuggets.
As we haven’t gotten spoiled by Curry’s greatness, everything from watching him break the all-time 3-point record en route to the Warriors winning their fourth championship, to making impossible three-quarter court shots look routine, we can’t help but wonder if this season, or shortly after, is when Curry hangs up his jersey for good.
Why Curry’s Swan Song is Coming Sooner Than You Think
Heading into the 2025-2026 season, the Warriors had anything but a drama-free offseason. Most of the story centered around the saga of Jonathan Kuminga. After expressing his interest in being traded, it’s no guarantee that Kuminga finishes this season as the new starting power forward. Should the Warriors move the young and disgruntled Kuminga before the All-Star break, that might cause Stephen Curry to reevaluate things.
After the Warriors’ surprise fourth championship in 2022 against the Celtics, most die-hard Dub Nation fans, as well as the marquee NBA betting sites, had mixed feelings and odds about the Warriors starting another dynasty, and for good reason. The truth is, the Warriors’ dynasty officially died after their stunning 2019 Finals loss to the Toronto Raptors, and it wasn’t from the loss; it was the players that they lost.
For starters, Kevin Durant tore his Achilles tendon in the fifth game, and it would prove to be the last game he played for the Warriors. To make matters worse, Curry’s fellow Splash brother, Klay Thompson, would suffer two season-ending injuries and wasn’t the same player even when he turned for the second part of the 2021-2022 season. The truth is, even in that remarkable fourth-title run, Curry had to carry the Warriors’ offense.
Even the Greats Need Help
And no matter how great Curry is in his 17th season, even a future Hall of Famer gets tired of carrying the load. During their first dynasty, Curry had tremendous help with a young Klay Thompson, an explosive bench, and later with the arrival of the Slim Reaper, Kevin Durant. Because Durant became the primary focus, Curry could tone it down a notch and focus on other parts of his game.
However, after the 2019 Finals loss, Curry went through a horrendous injury streak, even missing most of the following season with a broken wrist. Throughout the years, Curry has missed his fair share of games, which is understandable, getting up there in NBA years. However, the real determining factor is Curry’s supporting cast. In a recent interview, Curry went on record about his retirement, stating, “No clue. I just know it’s closer than it was even yesterday.” Curry also went to add “Acknowledging that it does takes a little longer to get warmed up before practice for a game or recovery might take a little longer. But I’m trying not to put any timestamps or anything, other than knowing there’s a sense of urgency on the now.”
The 2025 NBA Season Will Be Quite Telling
So far, Jimmy Butler has proven to be a solid and reliable second-scoring option since arriving in Golden State with an All-Star break trade last season. Also, Kuminga is already showing signs of making his first All-Star game. Kuminga is, in many ways, the key. If he proves to be that dependable third option, Curry can relax some and even perhaps cut back on his minutes to help make another deep playoff run. If the Warriors make an early playoff exit, or even miss the playoffs this season, does Curry really have it in him, or the time to go through another Warriors’ rebuild?
