When most people started labeling the Warriors as a fading dynasty, the only reason Golden State was still taken seriously as a championship threat was Stephen Curry . The two-time MVP's presence alone kept the belief alive that the franchise could squeeze out one more title run.
However, season after season, problems have continued to accumulate, and the Warriors increasingly appear closer to mediocrity than contention. Be it Draymond Green 's spats with the coach, Steve Kerr's refusal to play Jonathan Kuminga and now Jimmy Butler 's season-ending ACL injury, all of these issues have compounded the situation.
These setbacks led Chandler Parsons to question how the Warriors can realistically improve when their biggest trade asset is a 37-year-old veteran superstar in Steph.
What makes the situation frustrating for Dubs fans is that the team already had one of the most promising two-way forwards in Jonathan Kuminga, who showed he had the potential to average over 20.0 points per game in high-pressure situations when he did so against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the playoffs. Yet Kerr's repeated refusal to trust and play him has sabotaged the Warriors' own trade leverage.
At the same time, Butler's contract further complicates matters - owned over $54 million annually and now 36 years old with a torn ACL, Butler is unlikely to fetch meaningful value in any trade scenario.
All of this made Parsons believe that even "Chef" may not be able to bring a strong return due to his age. Though he admitted that Curry still has All-NBA-caliber campaigns left in his arsenal, Parsons questioned the level of assets teams would be willing to give up to shorten their championship window with Steph. Thus, he sounded certain that the Warriors organization is set for doom with their current roster and trajectory.
"I don't know, this may sound crazy, what the Warriors get back for a 37-year-old Steph Curry to better that franchise, " Parsons said on the most recent episode of the "Run It Back" show. "I'm just saying, at this point you can get something back, but… it's the young guys that they are going to get a lot of stuff back. How many years would he be playing? So, their best asset is a 37-year-old Steph Curry? That is not a good sign for an organization? He's not going anywhere, first of all. "
Given how Golden State's entire identity has been built around Curry at this point, it is illogical to expect anyone to even test Steph's value in the market. Put simply, even if Butler's injury diminishes his value, the team may look to trade additional younger pieces like Brandon Podzeimski and Quentin Post and attach draft capital in multi-team trade packages to land another superstar.
Safe to say, in that context, even Parsons' mere contemplation over the Warriors' idea of seeking Curry's trade value feels a bit rushed at this moment.
Stephen Wardell Curry is not just another quality asset; he is the franchise's identity. Golden State's best, and perhaps only, realistic chance at restoring relevance lies in building around him, not tearing everything down by letting him go.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jan 21, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
