Ever since the Warriors stumbled to a 37-45 finish and followed it with another quiet offseason, fans and analysts have been asking the same question: should Stephen Curry finally look elsewhere if he wants another championship? Well, Shaquille O’Neal doesn’t think so.

“If you’re with an organization that appreciates you and loves you, stay there because he’s still getting paid,” O’Neal told USA Today’s Prince Grimes.

It’s advice O’Neal is uniquely qualified to give. He won three championships with the Lakers, left for more, added one with the Heat, and then ended up bouncing from team to team looking for another title. But they all came up short.  So now, as the debate around Curry continues, his message is simple: just don’t. He has also been candid about looking back.

Recently, he claimed that the Lakers fans “didn’t love me; they loved Kobe,” but he has often mentioned that he would’ve won seven rings had he stayed in LA. Those experiences have clearly shaped the advice he’s giving Curry today.

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For him, organizational loyalty and top-tier financial compensation simply outweigh the impulse to ring-chase late in the career. To make his point, he pointed to LeBron James’ move to the Philadelphia 76ers as an example of how quickly circumstances can actually change in the league.

“You know, it’s about winning, but it’s also getting paid, too,” O’Neil said. “I’m sure if they would have offered LeBron 25 million or more, he’d still be a Laker.”

For him the Lakers decision to get younger was simply, “the business of basketball.” Because James had already earned so much over his career, Shaq thinks he was able to choose another championship over his salary.

Other than that, Shaq’s admiration for the Warriors superstar is another reason his comments stand out.

Why Shaq Holds Curry in High Regard

“Steph is the GOAT” is what Shaq said when asked by Overtime if he could name any player better than Curry. He picked Curry over Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Kevin Durant, and several other NBA legends. That simply speaks to how high a regard he keeps Curry in. It also wasn’t the first time he explained why he believes Curry is one of one.

Speaking on Angel Reese’s podcast, O’Neal said Curry stands apart because he has changed basketball without looking like the typical all-time great.

“You know why I love Steph Curry? Because I’ve never seen that before. If you saw Steph on the street, he ain’t got the LeBron muscles; he’s not 6’9″, 6’10”. He looks like a perfectly normal office guy. He’s doing stuff that people never seen before.”

Nevertheless, as O’Neal mentions, if Curry has an organization that appreciates and loves him, it’s all that matters. So far, the Warriors are showing their appreciation.

The Warriors Haven’t Given Curry a Reason to Walk Away

Curry’s situation actually is in many ways different from LeBron. Unlike James, the Warriors haven’t forced his hand. While the Golden State roster construction no doubt has been criticized by plenty, the organization has never wavered when it comes to its commitment to their icon, and Curry’s own contract screams that.

Curry will earn a $62.6 million extension in the 2026-27 season as extension talks loom. His total NBA earnings will go past $530 million. To Shaq, that incentivizes staying. He becomes eligible this month for another extension that could keep him with the Warriors through his age-40 season. But then of course, this hasn’t stopped fans from playing GM.

Many of his fans want the superstar to go to a place where he’d be appreciated and win another ring. However, the legend himself doesn’t keep the same thought-process.

He has never indicated that he wants out. He in fact recently described himself as a “realist” about Golden State’s situation, and he has continued to express confidence in the organization.

Well, maybe Curry wins another championship or not, but O’Neil thinks some things clearly a ring can’t replace.