"Closest thing to a God-like figure" - Stephen A. Smith believes the Warriors are obliged to fulfill each of Stephen Curry's demands

Heading into an offseason filled with uncertainty, the Golden State Warriors find themselves in a challenging position after missing the playoffs for the third time in five seasons. With a roster comprising veterans past their prime and young role players requiring development, doubts loom large over the Dubs.

However, according to Stephen A. Smith , the Warriors should prioritize everything that Stephen Curry demands and needs in the summer. As the driving force behind their past successes, Steph, in SAS's view, not only could lead them to another title but, more importantly, the organization owes such a favor to the two-time MVP.

"They owe Steph Curry whatever the hell Steph Curry wants. Now, I'm a Christian, and I don't compare any man to God or anything like that, but that man - Steph Curry is the closest thing to a God-like figure that you got in that area. You make no mistake about it. Too invaluable. Too untouchable," Smith said during his appearance on 95.7 The Game. "That man needs more talent - go get him more talent. That man needs a better roster - go get him a better roster."

Steph is the best chance for the Warriors to win a championship

The decision to sacrifice Jordan Poole for an aging Chris Paul, who logged his career-lowest scoring average of 9.2 points per game, might go down in history as one of the worst trades in franchise history. Coupled with Draymond Green’s inability to keep himself out of trouble and Klay Thompson’s struggles as a reliable scorer, these factors collectively affected the Warriors slipping to the 10th seed in the 2023-24 season.

Despite the disappointment, one bright spot was Curry’s performance. The 6’2” point guard remained one of the league’s top players, averaging 26.4 points per game while shooting 40.8% from beyond the arc and 92.3% from the free-throw line, deservingly earning a place in the All-NBA Third team. More importantly, the 10-time All-Star’s stellar play was arguably the biggest reason why Steve Kerr's team ranked as the 8th-best offensively rated squad in the 2023-24 season.

To reignite their competitiveness in the Western Conference, the 2022 NBA Champs need to make some stern decisions against their emotions. That could mean bidding farewell to some fan favorites and chasing budding young stars, who aren’t just effective on both ends of the court but can also relieve Steph from carrying the team to the finish line in every game.

Players that can make the Warriors competitive

Considering Zach LaVine’s upcoming $43 million salary for the 2024-25 season, the 6’5” guard presents an attractive option for the Dubs if they have enough funds at their disposal. His career 3-point shooting percentage of 38.2% indicates a seamless fit into Golden State’s culture.

Additionally, an option to increase their depth off the bench could be Spencer Dinwiddie, who could mirror the role previously filled by Donte DiVincenzo in the 2022-23 season. Most importantly, the Warriors need to add a traditional big man into their starting lineup who isn’t just a strong rim protector and rebounding phenom but can effectively involve himself in pick-and-roll situations.

Related: Stats show only LeBron and Curry ended their MVP season with an NBA Championship since 2013