The Golden State Warriors have failed to add more pieces to their roster after a disastrous 37-win, playoff-less season. Reports also suggested that Stephen Curry was considering delaying his extension to add pressure on the front office. That chain of rumors led Dub Nation to believe that maybe Curry no longer wants to retire in the Bay Area… However, on Tuesday, the Warriors GM dispelled all those rumors piece by piece during a 30-minute media interaction.

“There are two things I’m confident about with Steph: He really, really wants to win, and he wants to finish his career as a Warrior,” Mike Dunleavy Jr said.

Win? Curry publicly rooted for LeBron James to join the Warriors. That’s one move that likely would’ve propelled both legends to win another title. If they stayed fit. James ended up choosing the 76ers, leaving Curry with nearly the same squad that struggled last season. While many on the outside sensed frustration within the Warriors camp, Dunleavy has reiterated that he stands by his words.

“I’m pretty confident Steph will finish his career [with the Warriors],” Dunleavy said. “Ultimately, it’s his call, his decision. Whether that’s allowing his contract to run out and move on or, look, if he comes to me and wants to be moved, Joe [Lacob] and I will talk it through. We wouldn’t love it. But he’s earned the right to do what he wants. But as far as the messaging or any idea that he’d be anywhere else, that’s not a thing we’re looking at, or he’s looking at.”

Get the Essentially Dunk Newsletter. League-wide coverage every day on the All-Stars, MVPs, iconic legends, and the drama defining the NBA.

All eyes have been on the veteran’s $62.5 million expiring contract. Curry becomes eligible to sign an extension on August 29 for up to two years worth $136.7 million. But while legends like Kendrick Perkins have asked Curry to map out an “exit strategy,” even ESPN says team sources “continue to express optimism” that the Warriors and their franchise star will “figure out a way.”

Curry will enter his 18th NBA season on October 21 with a matchup against the new-look Luka Doncic and Co. The Warriors return to LA for their second straight season opener after beating them 119-109 last year. Jimmy Butler scored 31 points, and Curry added 23. But this time, Butler won’t be there to help out Steph.

Butler suffered a torn ACL on Jan. 19, ending his season. Curry wasn’t fit for extended periods either. He managed only 43 games. Injury problems got worse when Moses Moody tore his patellar tendon on March 23, further thinning the roster. Kristaps Porzingis played only 15 games after his move.

Dunleavy acknowledged his aging team and set a simple, straightforward goal, especially for Curry, who’s been dealing with a persistent knee issue, for next season.

“My hope would be he plays more than the 43 games he played last year,” Dunleavy said. “We’d expect that. It’s on the radar. It’s something we have to be mindful of. It’s delicate. It’s delicate for him and delicate for the rest of the guys on our team.”

Golden State limped into the offseason after winning just five of its final 20 regular-season games. Weirdly, despite the Warriors having the ability to make the biggest trades, nothing has come through, and they’ve somehow gotten older and worse.

The question about Curry considering a move away only arose after the team failed to add any of the big names they were linked to, such as (of course, LeBron), Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jaylen Brown, and even Anthony Davis.

It also didn’t help that Dunleavy said there was no return timeline yet for their starting wings, Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody. However, the GM remained confident in one player, who, in turn, has often frustrated the fanbase.

Dunleavy dubs Brandin Podziemski “big part” of Warriors

In the last three years, Brandin Podziemski has become more of a polarizing figure than a reliable one. Yes, he played all 82 games for the first time last season, but it’s important to remember that his big 30-point game came toward the end of the campaign, when a chunk of the roster was sitting in the casualty room. But Mike Dunleavy remains confident in extending his future in the Bay Area.

“That’s important to us,” Dunleavy said. “We really value Brandin. He’s a player, that for all the things he does well, most importantly, impacts winning. When he’s on the court, we’re a better team. So, any time you got a guy like that, you want to be able to keep him around. Obviously, we have multiple ways to do it through extension and restricted free agency and all that, but we’d prefer to get it done sooner than later. We really like Brandin. He’s done a terrific job for us, and he’s a big part of our program.”

Now, potentially paying someone who Steve Kerr uses as a genuine attacking piece on the roster $22 million to $25 million doesn’t sound bad at all. In fact, it may be a bargain. But when you look at Podziemski’s actual production averages last season of 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while shooting 37% from the field, it really doesn’t scream ‘championship level’.

According to insider Brett Siegel, Podziemski and his camp would “want to exceed” the $18 million-per-year threshold in their asking price because of a slight uptick in his numbers. However, seeing him go from $3.6 million last season to about $20 million could be deemed a waste of salary space.

Now, Curry has been subtle about wanting to continue striving for a championship. The Dubs veteran’s most recent hint came earlier this month.

“There’s not a crystal ball that tells you what opportunities are on the horizon, how to maintain competitiveness with everything that goes on during an NBA season, injuries, all that type of stuff,” Curry said. “But I do know there’s a level of reasonability in terms of moves or options or opportunities that can help us stay competitive now but don’t handcuff the next five, seven years of our team. So, everything that’s happened to date has been with that as the mindset.”

However, the ultimate plans to win a championship this upcoming year might really not be on the table anymore after the offseason they’ve had.

“Dub Nation had been warned that 2026-27 was lining up as a “gap year,” Monte Poole of NBC wrote. “The offseason focus would be on internal development rather than external additions. Do not expect gifts in July. None came.”

That’s why Stephen Curry’s potential exit from the Bay Area was the headline. But for now, the GM remains composed, and he wants the fanbase to feel the same way too.