Even though Stephen Curry has spent the last few days doing brand work and discussing his first signature shoe with Li-Ning, Dub Nation isn’t talking about it much yet. That’s because Curry’s simultaneous one-line comment about LeBron James joining the Philadelphia 76ers has stolen the show. How is the legendary sharpshooter feeling about it?
Well, when the news broke in July, Curry was at a celebrity golf tournament hosted by his pal Moses Moody. Fans yelled about James’ decision, and Curry quickly stepped aside to peek at his phone. Although he did not visibly react, the next day he vaguely told The Athletic, “That’s why you don’t envision anything until it happens.” Months later, Curry has now revealed that… he tried.
“If anybody didn’t try, I think they’d be a fool,” Curry said on CNBC about his attempts to convince James.
Rather than downplaying the rumors linking the two rival icons, Curry has owned his participation with transparency. It didn’t work out. But if anyone thinks Curry is salty about James leaving California entirely, they’d be wrong.
Curry, in fact, celebrated player empowerment, adding it was a “good time for the NBA, obviously, with a guy of his stature, his notoriety, to be in that position where he got to choose where he wanted to go.”
Why did James not want to join the Warriors, though? Since the 2024 Paris Olympics, Curry and LeBron have both said they want to team up again. And with the latter’s Los Angeles Lakers contract ending, this was the perfect opportunity.
Golden State’s pursuit was straightforward, and it was also the fan favorite. Reportedly, Draymond Green personally courted his fellow Klutch Sports Group client. Even Steve Kerr drove the speculation through the roof when he told fans in passing, “We got him.” We now know that was a joke…
At that time, Curry also made a soft pitch to LeBron when he said, “We want to play good basketball, be around people that know how to play the game, hopefully, raise our floor on our competitiveness this year.” To sweeten the deal, the veteran sharpshooter also assured that there’s “good golf” in the Bay Area.
However, despite Curry and Green trying to sell James on a shared future, the Warriors and half the league ultimately lost out to Philly. It boiled down to aggressive roster construction. Reports throughout the summer indicated James sought immediate, definitive win-now moves from suitors. Money wasn’t a deciding factor.
While rumors linked Golden State to speculative targets like Anthony Davis via Washington (for familiarity and as an added incentive for James to join Golden State), the Wizards showed absolutely no inclination to trade Davis. The Warriors stood pat, relying (more like hoping) heavily on their existing structure.
Philadelphia, meanwhile, reshaped the East by pulling off a blockbuster trade for Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics. If you missed it, the Warriors reportedly decided against pursuing Brown in February. So, pairing Brown with Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid gave Philadelphia a younger, high-octane core that proved far more attractive to James than Golden State’s uncertain depth.
Meanwhile, the Warriors sat out most of the offseason, making final free agency decisions, including signing Georges Niang. Without secondary star reinforcements and with Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody recovering, Curry remains the Dubs’ sole healthy All-Star-caliber anchor. Roster variables, such as Kristaps Porzingis’ health and the immediate impact of rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, now determine whether Golden State can avoid an uphill battle in the West.
Given Mike Dunleavy Jr.’s planning (or lack thereof) in securing stars like LeBron, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and others, fans also feared Curry might want to leave the team to maximize his remaining championship window elsewhere. While Curry felt that seeing a star of James’ caliber navigate free agency was a positive for the NBA overall, he also just clarified whether he intends to do so.
Curry used the same CNBC interview to put to rest any lingering concerns about his commitment to Golden State. Entering his 18th season, with his contract expiring in 2027 and the next one still unsigned (eligible to sign a two-year, $136.7 million max extension), Curry left no ambiguity when he said, “I want to be a lifer with Golden State.”
“What we’ve built there, the fact that I get to run it back with Draymond [Green] and Coach Kerr… my interest and mission is to stay and be competitive,” Curry said. “The contract stuff will take care of itself.”
The 2026 offseason also marked a massive pivot in Curry’s off-court empire. After a 13-year run with Under Armour, Curry officially announced his new partnership with Chinese athletic brand Li-Ning on a reported 10-year, $400 million contract.
Calling the split with Under Armour “mutual” and without regret, Curry explained that his debut signature model with Li-Ning will drop in early 2027. In the interim, he will wear player-exclusive models designed by Warriors teammate Jimmy Butler and Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade.
Curry praised his off-court transition candidly, emphasizing that Li-Ning ultimately won his endorsement because “the product reigned supreme.”
Though Golden State missed out on creating a historic pairing with James, Curry’s focus shifts back to pushing the Warriors forward while establishing his next chapter both on and off the court.