Stephen Curry and the Warriors will miss Cory Joseph.
The Golden State Warriors didn’t push any win-now chips in at the trade deadline, content to play out the remainder of 2023-24 with a team that’s finally found the “best version” of itself. Just because the Dubs failed to make major moves before noon pacific on Thursday hardly means the locker room won’t be affected by the one trade Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the front office did make, though.
After his team’s impressive blowout win over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night, Stephen Curry was asked for his thoughts on Golden State’s approach at the trade deadline. Unprompted, the four-time champion brought up Cory Joseph, lamenting the absence of a veteran “connector” who he and his teammates will sorely miss going forward.
“Sucks losing Cory. If anybody knows Cory Joseph and his personality, his presence…He’s the ultimate professional,” Curry said. “He brings just a great spirit about it in the locker room helping the young guys. He’s been around, knows how to play. That type of guy is a connector and we’re gonna miss him for sure. That was obviously a tough one. I understand the business of the game and the money and all that, but we’re gonna miss him for sure.”
Cory Joseph’s time with Warriors
The Warriors traded Joseph along with $5.8 million to the Pacers in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick just before the deadline. The deal saved Joe Lacob millions in luxury tax savings while giving Golden State at least one pick—even if it’s a second-rounder—in this year’s NBA Draft. Joseph’s exit also opened up another roster spot, one potentially filled by current two-way player Lester Quinones, who surpassed the 32-year-old in Steve Kerr’s rotation over the last few games.
Golden State signed Joseph to a one-year minimum deal in free agency. Brought in to serve as the Warriors’ third point guard behind Curry and Chris Paul, Joseph played a semi-frequent role over the first two months of the season as multiple perimeter contributors were lost to injury. He got his most consistent run in January, after Paul went down with a broken hand in a narrow home victory over the lowly Detroit Pistons.
Joseph averaged 2.9 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 14.4 minutes off the bench across 10 consecutive appearances, shooting 11-of-25 overall (44%) and 7-of-17 from three-point range (41.1%). He wasn’t the impact defender he was in his prime, though, occasionally exploited by the opposition’s perimeter stars. Just as problematic, teams unthreatened by his three-point proficiency laid off Joseph away from the ball offensively, cramping Golden State’s spacing.
Curry’s glowing appraisal of Joseph still shone through on the court and on the bench, however. He fought tooth and nail every time he took the floor for the Warriors, most recently and memorably early in a win over the Atlanta Hawks on January 25th, helping his team get a win with the effort, passion and tenacity it was initially tough to muster so soon after beloved assistant Dejan Milovic’s passing.
Indiana waived Joseph immediately after acquiring him, opening a roster spot to re-sign veteran forward James Johnson. It’s unclear where he’ll go from here for the remainder of 2023-24; there’s also a possibility the 13th-year veteran is relegated to trying his hand in free agency come July. What’s absolutely certain, though, is that Joseph will be missed by his former teammates and coaches with the Warriors.
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