The Charlotte Hornets quietly parted ways with Seth Curry after just one and a half years of partnership. He is currently a free agent, although he is expected to sign with the Golden State Warriors and could return to the Queen City on New Year's Eve.
NBA insider Marc Stein has all but made Curry's next destination official, stating in his Substack that the sharpshooter is among those heading or returning (subscription required) to Golden State. The others are Al Horford, De'Anthony Melton, and Gary Payton II. Apparently, the only holdup has been the team's standoff with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga. According to Stein, the Warriors may want to resolve it as soon as possible, as their media day is less than a week away.
Interestingly, Curry would have still been useful for the Hornets, considering that he is one of the most efficient snipers from 3-point distance of all time, even leading the league in that department in the 2024-25 campaign. In addition, there is the hometown angle, which would have given him extra motivation to excel in Charlotte.
However, there is not enough roster space for the veteran on the Hornets, not when they added several players who play the same positions as him. Moreover, the organization looks like it has avoided one-dimensional players this summer, and truth be told, Curry's only value at this stage of his career is his perimeter shooting. While being of that archetype may have led to his sad exit from the Hive, it could be handy in Golden State.
Hornets could have helped speed up Seth Curry's Warriors arrival
Funnily enough, Charlotte could have made things less complicated for the Dubs' roster-building efforts this summer if it had shown interest in taking Kuminga off their hands. The promising forward seems like a terrific fit with LaMelo Ball, particularly in the pick-and-roll. He would have also filled a few of the Hornets' holes, especially their lack of able bodies at the frontcourt and offensive creators.
However, while some pundits have called on Charlotte to explore trading for Kuminga, the team has not provided any signs of keenness to trade for the 22-year-old forward. Perhaps the front office has had some internal discussions about it, although chances are it would be unwilling to meet the Warriors' asking price, and to be honest, the non-decision may end up being more favorable for the Hornets.
Of course, that entails Curry needing to display more patience before he officially teams up with his superstar brother, Stephen. As for Charlotte, it proves that it is ready to stay the course and avoid cutting corners to pull off moves that might even result in the squad regressing further instead of advancing toward its goals.