As the NBA trade deadline looms, the rumor mill is heating up-and while Giannis Antetokounmpo's future is grabbing most of the headlines, there’s another intriguing storyline quietly gaining traction: Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Could the unthinkable happen? Could Steph, the face of the Warriors’ dynasty, ever suit up for another team-maybe even his hometown Charlotte Hornets?
On a recent episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, Simmons and ESPN’s Zach Lowe tossed around that very idea. The conversation turned to Charlotte and its promising young core, and Simmons floated a hypothetical that got fans buzzing: what if the Hornets build something special, land a top-three draft pick, and start looking like the 2023 Oklahoma City Thunder-a team brimming with youth, upside, and momentum? In that scenario, could Curry decide to come home and help lead the charge?
“Let’s say Charlotte does stumble into a top three pick on top of the team they have,” Simmons said. “And two years from now, they are OKC in 2023 range and the Warriors, it’s just dark, and Steph is like, you know what would be cool?
If I could just go home and join this. And everybody is like, yeah, that would be pretty cool.”
Now, let’s be clear-this is all purely hypothetical. Neither Simmons nor Lowe suggested anything imminent, and both acknowledged that Curry finishing his career in a Warriors jersey still feels like the most likely outcome. Simmons even likened the idea of Curry staying put to the career arcs of Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant-two all-time greats who became synonymous with a single franchise.
Still, the Hornets are an interesting case. They’re currently under .500, but there’s no denying the potential in Charlotte.
With a young core developing in the Eastern Conference and the possibility of adding more top-tier talent through the draft, the foundation is there for something real. It’s not hard to imagine a future where they’re not just in the playoff mix but making serious noise.
Meanwhile, the Warriors are navigating a tricky stretch. At 27-22, they’re competitive but clearly not the juggernaut they once were.
Injuries have taken a toll-most notably the ACL tear suffered by Jimmy Butler-and the front office is exploring roster moves to stay in the hunt. There’s chatter about a potential blockbuster involving Giannis, but whether Golden State has the assets to make that kind of splash remains to be seen.
For now, Curry remains the heartbeat of the Warriors, and any talk of him leaving is pure speculation. But the NBA is a league built on movement and moments.
And sometimes, the most far-fetched ideas are the ones that end up reshaping the league. Keep an eye on Charlotte.
Keep an eye on Golden State. And never say never.