Mike Dunleavy Explains What Warriors Would Do If Steph Demands Trade

Perhaps the strangest part of Mike Dunleavy's press availability on Tuesday was his tangent about what would happen if Stephen Curry demanded a trade.

Most Warriors writers are focusing more on what Dunleavy said right before, which is that he's "pretty confident Steph will finish his career" with the Warriors.

"But, you know, ultimately, it's his call, his decision, whether that's allowing his contract to run out and move on, or, you know, look, if he comes to us and wants to be moved, you know, Joe and I will talk through it," Dunleavy said. "We wouldn't love it, but he's earned the right."

Yahoo Sports writer Kevin O'Connor was among those who questioned if Dunleavy had an agenda in bringing this up.

"It definitely is strange that Mike Dunleavy took this answer in the direction of possible trade demands by Stephen Curry," O'Connor wrote on X. "Almost like the Warriors want it to happen."

Dunleavy is essentially confirming the Warriors would honor his trade request, which is the only correct answer. Forcing a franchise legend to play out the rest of his career with a lackluster roster would be a permanent stain on the resume of a GM and team governor.

Are the Warriors Forcing Curry Out?

NBA writer Josh Eberley believes the Warriors want Curry to request a trade.

"Warriors don’t want to build a team around Steph, they want a great team after Steph, the best way to make that happen is to get assets for Steph," Eberley wrote on X. "So contrary to a lot of the reporting, I’d argue that franchise wants him to ask out."

Though Eberley's stance is logical, I don't believe the Warriors are hoping Curry demands a trade.

Curry's popularity has a major impact on the Warriors' bottom line. Losing him would be crushing for ticket sales and a variety of other ways the franchise makes money.

So just from a business perspective alone, team governor Joe Lacob should want Curry around as long as possible.

With that said, Eberley is correct in saying that the Warriors' post-Curry team would benefit from the assets they get by trading him.

So there are three legitimate options here:

A) Trade some future draft capital to give Curry a chance to win his fifth title
B) Trade Curry for future draft capital and rebuild
C) Keep things as is to preserve the future while making money off Curry in the present

I'm guessing Lacob and Dunleavy are comfortable being in Option C for now. They are hoping for a perfect trade to appear so they can be in Option A, but they are willing to test Curry's patience to the point where he may demand a trade down the line, putting the Warriors in Option B.

Dunleavy continues to claim publicly that the Warriors are trying to put a better team around Curry. But at some point words ring hollow without actions.

It's up to Curry if he wants to put pressure on the Dubs front office by either not signing a contract extension or threatening a trade demand.

Add us as a preferred source on Google