The Philadelphia 76ers have already been a source of offseason pain for the Golden State Warriors, and they may not be done yet. After Philadelphia traded for Jaylen Brown following Golden State’s conversations with the Boston Celtics, then stunned the league by signing LeBron James, the Sixers now have another move that could sting the Warriors again.
That possibility centers on Seth Curry, the veteran guard still without a contract after an injury-hit season in the Bay. Philadelphia has been urged to revisit a familiar face as it tries to finish off its roster, and the fit is being framed around one clear need: more off-ball shooting to go with Brown and James.
Nicolas Kyle Pring of The Sixer Sense pointed to Curry as a possible late-offseason answer.
"The former 76ers guard is not only familiar with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, but he is also someone who can serve a double purpose of helping fix the team's shooting woes while also solidifying the backcourt," Pring wrote.
Curry may not be the same kind of impact role player he was at his peak, and Golden State may have no appetite for a reunion after his lone year with the team. Still, the idea of him landing back in Philadelphia carries obvious frustration for the Warriors, especially if he returns to the level of production he showed in limited action.
He played just 10 games for Golden State, but there were still signs that he can help. The 35-year-old averaged 7.1 points and shot 48% from 3-point range on 2.5 attempts, numbers that kept his reputation intact as one of the league’s best shooters next to older brother Stephen.
There’s also the health piece. If Curry is in better shape than he was during his time with the Warriors, Philadelphia could be getting a useful rotation piece at a reasonable point in the offseason.
Golden State may have decided it can’t afford another swing on an injury-prone veteran, especially after re-signing Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton earlier in the offseason. But the 76ers are in a different position. With so much on-ball talent already in place, they can take a chance on a shooter like Curry and live with more risk.
If his body holds up, the upside is obvious. If it doesn’t, the damage is easier for Philadelphia to absorb than it would be for Golden State, which is already set to open the season with two key players sidelined by injury.
For the Warriors and their fans, the hope would simply be that Curry lands somewhere healthy and productive. If that somewhere is Philadelphia, though, it would be another offseason twist that sends a familiar headache right back to the Bay.
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