Should Steph Curry return to play for a struggling Warriors team this season? The Warriors are not going anywhere this season so this question is best viewed in terms of the dynamics of the two brands (Curry and the Warriors). From NBC...
It arguably has been the most divisive question to face Warriors fans this season.
Should star Steph Curry return to the court in a season where Golden State almost certainly won’t be in contention for anything other than a lottery pick, or should the two-time MVP sit out the remainder of the season and come back fully rested and healthy in 2020-21 along with fellow Splash Brother Klay Thompson?
Since he broke his hand in late October, Curry and everyone else around the Warriors organization has been steadfast in promoting the idea of Steph re-joining the lineup. His brother Seth, a guard with the Dallas Mavericks, also hopes to see Steph retake the court this year.
“Yeah, you want to get your rhythm back,” Curry told NBA.com. “You don’t want to sit a full year. That’s never good. When you love to play like he does.
The "Old School" perspective is that he should, of course, play.
But in an era of load management, brand building free agency decisions, and tanking for draft picks the "old School" perspective is increasingly irrelevant to many observers and fans.
Brands are built through iconic moments. Championships, epic comebacks and other on-field (on-court) action that create shared memories for fans are what builds long-term fan passion for teams and creates legendary players.
Are the Warriors going to create any iconic moments? Will Curry add to his legend this season? Maybe, at best.
And does winning a few more games and getting a little less in the draft hurt the Warriors in the long-run. Maybe.
I tend to agree with Curry's decision making. He should play if he wants to. But the brand manager in me sees a little more downside than upside.