Curry and Durant want Warriors stay
The Golden State Warriors have some wheeling and dealing to do, but prized assets Kevin Durant and Steph Curry are ready to commit to the NBA champions.
Golden State have no time to rest after dethroning the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals for the second title in three seasons, with Durant and Curry set to become free agents.
Finals MVP Durant – who swapped the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Warriors in search of an elusive championship – has a player option for 2017-18, while star guard Curry is coming off contract.
“It’s a special team, a special group,” Durant said on Wednesday. “It’s a business of basketball, obviously, so nothing is for sure, but here, I feel like we can work that out and everybody will have a chance to do this again next year. It’s easier said than done, obviously, but that’s the goal. We want to keep this thing together and see how we can continue to keep getting better.
“The last couple of days I’ve thought about it [his future]. But like I said, we’ll all figure something out. We’ll work something out. Like I said, I want to be here. We just won a championship, man. Let’s see if we can do it again. That’s the thing.”
Curry, who is eligible for a five-year, $205 million extension, added: “It would mean everything [to stay together]. What we’ve built here is truly special. It’s unique, it’s something that you don’t want to see end at all.
“All the pieces that we have are important to the equation of winning a championship and competing for a championship every single year. So, it is a business. There are decisions that need to be made every single year, and you have to assess the situation as it is.
“You don’t want anybody to have to sacrifice in that sense. You don’t force anybody to have to take that approach, but at the end of the day, we know what’s best for us as a group going forward and we’re going to do whatever we can to keep this team together. So, I’ll have that mindset, KD’s going to have that mindset.”
Earlier, Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob insisted the champions will fight tooth and nail to keep Curry and Durant.
“We’re going to do whatever it takes to keep Steph here and happy,” Lacob told The Mercury News. “And I know he wants to be here and we want him here. So, I do not anticipate any issues with him staying.”
