Entering next season, Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors’ future remains in question. According to Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce, Golden State needs to acquire Milwaukee Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo to return to NBA championship contention.

After finishing 10th (46-36) in the Western Conference this past season, the Warriors had an eventful offseason. They lost a longtime member of their core, veteran shooting guard Klay Thompson, in free agency and moved on from veteran point guard Chris Paul.

Golden State replaced them with several established role players, including sharpshooter Buddy Hield, combo guard De’Anthony Melton and point forward Kyle Anderson. Nevertheless, barring a substantial leap from one of its young players, like Jonathan Kuminga, the franchise still lacks a proven No. 2 option alongside Curry.

On Friday’s episode of the “Ticket & The Truth” podcast, Pierce and fellow Celtics legend Kevin Garnett touched on Curry’s future with the Warriors. Pierce noted that he expects the four-time NBA champion to remain with the organization that drafted him, even if it means wasting the final years of his prime.

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“He’s going down with that ship,” Pierce said. “It’s all legacy. Everything right now for him is icing on the cake. … I don’t see him going anywhere else.”

Garnett later asked Pierce to come up with a trade that could improve Curry’s circumstances, with the latter naming Antetokounmpo as an ideal target.

“He needs some help,” Pierce said. ” … The only way I see Golden State getting back to where they need to get back to is if they can find a way to get Giannis over there.”

(from 34:35 mark onwards)

Antetokounmpo signed a three-year, $175.4 million contract extension with Milwaukee in October. Thus, he is locked under contract until at least 2027, with a player option for the 2027-28 season.

Meanwhile, he is still in his prime at 29 years old and hasn’t requested a trade. So, the Bucks seemingly don’t have any incentive to part ways with the two-time MVP.

Garnett pointed out that Antetokounmpo to Golden State was a “random” suggestion, quipping that his co-host must have received “inside information.” However, according to Pierce, he just tried to come up with a “best-case scenario” regardless of his idea’s plausibility.

Paul Pierce likens Steph Curry’s situation to Kobe Bryant’s final seasons

If Golden State can’t land a game-changing player of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s caliber, Paul Pierce added that it wouldn’t hinder Steph Curry’s legacy.

According to the one-time champion, Curry would likely keep fighting admirably and go out on a high note like LA Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. The 18-time All-Star missed the playoffs in his final three seasons, famously capping off his illustrious career with a farewell tour in the 2015-16 season.

“I saw Kob, he lost his last couple of years, but he still went hard, didn’t he?” Pierce said. “He wasn’t complaining. … Yeah, that’s Steph.”

However, it’s unclear if Steph Curry would rather close his career on a mediocre or below-average Warriors team than pursue his fifth ring elsewhere.