Stephen Curry is willing to play as a substitute in the future! He aims to continue contributing as a role player and hopes to retire with the Warriors.

Time eventually catches up with every athlete, but the key is not how long you can resist it, but how you handle decline, whether you are willing to make necessary adjustments to maximize your impact. Curry understands this better than most, which is why, even as the franchise's GOAT, he is willing to relinquish his starting spot someday.

“Some players, if they can no longer perform at their peak or maintain dominance, will leave; or if the team loses competitiveness, they will depart,” noted reporter Howard Beck said on a program. “When I covered this topic in January and spoke with Curry about it,his attitude was: ‘I can be a role player, I can come off the bench.’”

Curry has no immediate plans to retire and remains at an elite level. But when his performance truly begins to decline (he is 37 this year), Curry won't stubbornly cling to a starting role. Instead, he will accept a more secondary role on the team, striving to contribute as a substitute.Fortunately, his playing style is largely age-resistant; his shooting will always be valuable.

“Think of Vince Carter—in his final years, he was half role player, half mentor, like a seventh assistant coach,” Beck added. “Or Paul Pierce and Grant Hill late in their careers. As an NBA legend, there are many ways to finish your career. When we discussed this, Curry was very composed. He doesn't mind if his form declines, he slows down a step or two, and can no longer start.He essentially said: ‘I don’t want to become a stationary post on defense,’ but he can always shoot.”

As a four-time champion, two-time MVP, 12-time All-Star, and 11-time All-NBA selection, Curry’s legendary status in basketball is already cemented; he has nothing left to prove in the NBA. This is why he isn’t overly fixated on the future. As his career nears its end, as long as he remains with the Warriors, he is willing to accept any role.

“So whether he plays for two, three, four more years, or however long, there are many paths to finish,” Beck continued. “But one thing is very, very clear: he wants to end his career with the Warriors..”

This season, Curry averaged 27.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game, with shooting percentages of 46.8% from the field and 39.1% from three-point range. There are no signs of slowing down shortly, meaning the Warriors will continue building around him to chase another championship.

But when that day truly arrives, the Warriors can trust Curry to make the choice most beneficial for the team. When they find their next young star, Curry won’t stand in the way. And this humility is one reason why he is such a great teammate.