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The Warriors are not the same team they were at the start of this month. For three years (and five if excluding Durant), the core remained unchanged: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston. Three of those six guys are no longer on the Warriors.
For the first time since Durant, Iguodala and Livingston departed the team (via free agency, a trade and being waived, respectively), Stephen Curry addressed the Warriors’ offseason changes, the most notable of which saw D’Angelo Russell join the team via the sign-and-trade which sent Durant to the Brooklyn Nets. The San Francisco Chronicle’s Ron Kroichik caught up with Curry at the American Century Championship golf tournament, which Curry is participating in this weekend to ask him about the changes.
Curry told Kroichik he hasn’t talked to Russell much yet, but appreciated the years he and Durant were able to share together.
“The three years we had were special. We had three straight Finals appearances and won two of them,” Curry said. “We accomplished a lot as a group. Everyone talks about all the talent we had on that team, but that doesn’t mean you can put it all together. … I like to look at what we accomplished and focus on that, and be extremely proud of that run. Now we try to re-create that.”
The trade of Iguodala and waiving of Livingston made Curry, at age 31, the oldest player on the team. Having learned from both players, and now forced to take on the role of the vet, Curry discussed his appreciation for them.
“I’m the oldest on the team now, so I’ve got to step my game up. It’s a tough business,” Curry said. “You knew at some point there would be some hard changes. You talk about Andre and Shaun, they’re two guys who do things the right way. They have the ultimate level of professionalism, a respect for what they say and do. They’re both three-time champs, and I think they have a lot left in the tank. It’ll be fun and weird to watch them on different teams.”