"We're going to miss all 5 of those guys, but there's opportunity for other guys" - Steph Curry says Warriors tried to keep team intact during offseason
Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors will be the favorites to win the NBA title next season despite losing five role players in free agency. Curry said that they tried to keep the team intact, but it was not meant to be.
In an interview with Ron Kroichick of the San Francisco Chronicle, Curry spoke about Golden State's free agency moves. Five players signed with new teams, but the Warriors re-signed Kevon Looney on a three-year deal. They also added Donte DiVincenzo to replace Gary Payton II.
"We all knew how difficult it was going to be to keep everybody, but we tried," Curry said. "It speaks to how much we value him (GPII), Loon, Otto. We tried to keep them all. Thank God, we got Loon back."
Twenty days after Stephen Curry cried tears of joy when his #Warriors won the NBA title, he came to Edgewood Tahoe today ahead of this week's celebrity tournament. "I'm still on an emotional ride, 100%," Curry said. Story:
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The reigning Finals MVP expects other Warriors players like James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody to step up next season. The Warriors will also have a bunch of rookies like Patrick Baldwin Jr., Ryan Rollins, Gui Santos and Lester Quinones.
"The league changes so fast, and obviously when you win, good things happen to good people," Curry said. "We're going to miss all five of those guys, but there's opportunity for other guys. Some of the draft picks from this year and last year, plus (Wiseman), all of them get a chance to step up."
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What's next for Golden State Warriors?
The Golden State Warriors had a tough start to free agency. They lost Gary Payton II to the Portland Trail Blazers, while Otto Porter Jr. joined the Toronto Raptors. The Phoenix Suns snapped up Damion Lee, while the LA Lakers roped in Juan Toscano-Anderson.
Nemanja Bjelica had an offer from Golden State but chose to return to Europe. He signed a two-year deal with Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahce. The Warriors have re-signed Kevon Looney and added Donte DiVincenzo. Andre Iguodala is still an option, but he'll be 39 next year.
According to Dalton Johnson of Yahoo Sports, Golden State have extended a qualifying offer to Quinndary Weatherspoon. The team has until July 13 to rescind the offer, while Weatherspoon has until October 1 to accept it. Lester Quinones, meanwhile, already has one of the two two-way player spots.
Johnson listed Juancho Hernangomez, Blake Griffin and Markieff Morris as possible options for Golden State. The defending champions could also have an open roster spot as they wait for players like Patrick Beverley, who is a buyout candidate.