LeBron James returned home to play for Cleveland this past summer in free agency, and now that the game’s best player has done so, it’s opened the door for us to wonder which of the league’s superstars might be next.
It’s already being speculated that Kevin Durant may bolt for Washington once he has the chance, even though his shot at free agency doesn’t come until after the 2016 season is finished.
There’s no similar conjecture where Stephen Curry is concerned, but the topic came up before he took on the Hornets in his home town of Charlotte on Friday. And while Curry admitted he’s thought about playing for the Hornets, he’s obviously more than happy with his current situation in Golden State.
From Diamond Leung of InsideBayArea.com (via Basketball Insiders):“That’s hard to get out of your head, but obviously, it has no bearing on decisions that I make down the road,” said Curry, who can become a free agent after the 2016-17 season. “It’s just a fun thought to have. The Hornets name does mean a lot to my family, and obviously I’m starting a new thing with the Warriors. I definitely feel right at home here (with Golden State).” ...
Curry raised some eyebrows in August when he told CBS Sports Radio he “always had thoughts about playing at home, what it would be like.” LeBron James, the four-time MVP, had made it a reality by signing again with Cleveland and going home.
“I’ve always thought about it, but who wouldn’t want to play in front of the fans and family that watched me grow up?” Curry, who’s in the middle of a four-year, $44 million contract with the Warriors, said this week.
Thinking about it and acting on those thoughts are two very different things.
Curry’s father Dell played 10 seasons for the Hornets, so it would be way more of a surprise if Curry hadn’t entertained thoughts of following in those footsteps.
No one can see what the future holds, of course, and a lot can happen between now and the conclusion of the 2017 season when Curry will become an unrestricted free agent. But despite the family ties, there’s little reason at this stage to believe he’d even consider the Hornets as a realistic destination when that time comes.