When the Warriors acquired Kevin Durant and assembled a super team, they knew success would be dependent on a bunch of star players sharing one basketball.
But looking back on the Durant era with Golden State, former Warriors forward David West said Steph Curry could have been more selfish. West discussed the topic this week with Logan Murdock and former NBA player Raja Bell on The Ringer’s “Real Ones” podcast.
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“There were nights where I told Steph that first year, like, ‘F--k these guys, you got to go,’” West told Murdock and Bell. “He was trying too hard to, like, make everybody comfortable. He knows Klay wants to score, shoot the ball, that’s who Klay Thompson is. He knows that [Draymond Green] likes to have the ball in his hands so Dray can make plays. KD needs his time.
“So Steph was the one making the most sacrifices and I’m like, ‘Yo, the f--k you doing? You gotta do what you know, man.’ I would say that to him some nights and he’d look at me [funny]. Because I don’t think anybody would tell him, like, ‘Yo, you trippin’. You can’t pass that one, dog.’ ”
For what it's worth, Curry scored more points (26.4 per game) on fewer shots (16.9 per game) in 2017-18 than 2016-17, when he scored 25.3 points on 18.3 shots per game in Durant's first season with the Warriors.
It would be interesting to hear Curry’s take on the matter, considering the Warriors won back-to-back titles in Durant's first two years by the Bay. Would any “sacrifice” be too great if you’re hoisting up a Larry O’Brien trophy?
Golden State Warriors
The plan worked.
With Curry, Durant, Thompson, Green and Andre Iguodala playing together, West said there were a lot of personalities in play.
“It’s hard when you’re dealing with those super-talented guys,” West said. “Ego is a part of this thing.”
Bell liked to stir up the pot in his playing days and prodded West to name drop when he mentioned “ego,” but he didn’t take the bait.
“Ego is a big deal,” West said. “But it’s everybody. You’ve got literally five Hall of Fame guys on the same damn team.”
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West retired following the 2017-18 season, riding into the sunset with a couple of rings with Golden State in his final two seasons. The locker room might have been awkward or uncomfortable at times with clashing egos, but at least he got to be part of the Dubs’ dynasty.
“The talent is only so much,” West said. “We were able to win it. But winning it and trying to get that energy, everybody’s a year older, it was a bit tougher. But we still had enough.”