"Cannot waste Steph Curry's valuable time": Kendrick Perkins vehemently calls for Warriors to set 2x MVP 'free'
Kendrick Perkins has proposed that given the on-court and off-court difficulties encountered by the Golden State Warriors, it might be in the team's best interest to let go of Steph Curry so as not to squander his "valuable time."
Steph Curry is averaging 29.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 21 games this season while shooting 42.2% from 3-point land. The Warriors have fallen to a 10-13 record, which is only good for 11th in the Western Conference.
Perkins posted on X (formerly Twitter) advocating for the Warriors to "free" Steph Curry, and later on NBA Today, he elaborated on the reasons behind his suggestion.
“Free him from all the BS that surround him,” Perkins said.
Perkins stated that due to Klay Thompson's situation with his contract, Andrew Wiggins' below-average performance this season and Draymond Green's issues, the Warriors are no longer an ideal fit for Curry.
“You think about the situation with Klay Thompson and the front office and their contract tension…You look at Andrew Wiggins who’s playing this year like he don't give a damn about playing the game of basketball…You're watching a guy in Draymond Green that is not reliable, that is acting out of character, that is doing the most, that'll cost you games, embarrassing the franchise, embarrassing the league,” Perkins ranted.
“Steph don't deserve this. Steph is giving us great basketball. Steph has more basketball, great basketball to give us. We cannot waste Steph Curry valuable time while he's still here,” he added.
Curry has three years and $167.28 million left in his contract with the Warriors.
Steve Kerr says Steph Curry almost got traded to the Phoenix Suns
Steve Kerr served as the general manager of the Phoenix Suns when Steph Curry entered the 2009 NBA Draft. In an episode of SHOWTIME's "Headliners with Rachel Nichols," Kerr detailed how Curry was on the brink of not joining the Warriors.
Kerr said the Suns tried to trade their 14th overall pick to the Warriors to select Curry. The Warriors rejected the deal, and the Suns picked Earl Clark.
“We were looking at Steph and seeing Steve Nash, the next version, and they were so alike in so many ways," Kerr said.
"And we had watched Steve become two-time MVP and so all of the concerns most of the people had in the league about Steph in terms of size and defense and athleticism, we saw everything we needed to see. Steve had done so much in the league and we thought he could be very similar,” he added.
Curry and Kerr ultimately crossed paths. Kerr became Curry's coach in 2014, and together, they secured four championship victories.