Will there be a post-Stephen Curry era? It’s a question we’ll all have to face eventually. Perhaps we can postpone that inevitable day for a few more seasons, but time waits for no one.

So, let’s have that uncomfortable yet necessary conversation. Maybe it’s time for Curry to consider moving on.

The Golden State Warriors find themselves at a critical juncture. As the playoffs kick off, it’s evident that the league’s top teams are becoming younger, faster, and more athletic. In this evolving landscape, the Warriors’ core trio—Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green—may maintain their competitiveness for another season or two, but merely staying afloat is akin to treading water in the Olympics’ 400-meter freestyle relay.

The Warriors claim they will explore every possibility, except for trading Curry, one of the greatest athletes and individuals in history. Why would anyone entertain the idea of trading such an exceptional player and person?

However, there are two compelling reasons that might warrant considering such a drastic move:

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• If team owner Joe Lacob and his front-office thinkers see trading Curry as the best option for avoiding a bleak and embarrassing future for the Warriors.

• If Curry embraces and endorses the idea, for the good of the Warriors and for himself.

If another team will offer the Warriors a bounty of draft picks and prospects in exchange for Curry, thus jump-starting a necessary team overhaul, the Warriors should at least consider the offer, and present it to Curry.

Every decision the Warriors have made or contemplated in recent seasons, from roster moves to playing-time allocations, has been geared towards maximizing the “Curry Window.” However, it’s conceivable that Curry’s only viable championship window may lie with another team.

However, it’s important to note that if Curry expresses his desire to finish his career with the Warriors, that would be the end of the discussion. There is no scenario where he would be subjected to the treatment experienced by Joe Montana and Willie Mays, who were traded towards the end of their careers. I firmly believe that if Curry wishes to retire as a Warrior, the team’s owner, Lacob, will make that a reality.

If Curry wishes to continue playing for the Warriors until he’s 50, rolling onto the court with a walker, count me in. Steph Curry is the driving force behind my commitment to this job.

However, if Curry is open to the idea of the Warriors exploring all possibilities, it would be unfair to him if they didn’t do so.

Curry is unlikely to provide a definitive statement about his desire to remain with the Warriors until the end. Therefore, all we can do is speculate.

His frustration was palpable this past season, which is noteworthy because Curry has always been known as an optimistic figure, even during challenging times. There were moments of tears and a chair-kicking incident courtside on the night Green was ejected from a crucial game. While these rare occurrences don’t suggest that Curry has given up, they may indicate that he is acutely aware of the passage of time.