NBA Trade Rumors: Should the Golden State Warriors Move Stephen Curry?

The Golden State Warriors have a 21-27 record, which is only five games off last season's 26-win total, and their defense is allowing nearly nine fewer points per game this year.

Yet, curiously, owner Joe Lacob is frustrated with the team's lack of improvement and rumors are swirling around the Warriors as the NBA trade deadline approaches.

Lacob singled out second-year point guard Stephen Curry, and said that even he is not vulnerable, which should come as a surprise for fans of the Warriors.

Maybe Lacob is just suffering from the pressure of high expectations, because his warnings of retribution run contrary to the real improvement that is visible around the franchise, and with Curry.

The numbers don't lie.

Beyond the obvious improvements in the win-loss column and on the defensive end of the floor for Golden State, Curry has improved his scoring average, while his rebounding and assist totals have remained fairly constant.

Curry is averaging 19.1 points per game, which is slightly higher than his 17.5 points per game average from a season ago, and he is shooting 47.7 percent from the field, which is also an improvement.

More importantly, the fact that Curry's turnovers have remained around three per game means he has not become more mistake-prone, even though he has not completely mastered his flaws.

I'm not sure if Lacob is trying to instill more focus and urgency upon his team with threats, but talking about trading a young, talented player is no way to endear yourself to fans.

The Warriors have a long history of developing young talent, only to witness said players reach their full potential with other teams.

Dealing Curry may be the icing on the cake.

The fact that Curry is thriving at all is surprising to many, since few expected him to excel as the lead guard at the NBA level in the first place.

Curry came to the Warriors with the reputation as a scorer, but he kept exceeding expectations all the way to a runner-up finish for the league's Rookie of the Year Award in 2009-2010.

I'm well aware that there are areas of Curry's game that still need improvement, such as his defense and his decision-making, but is it wise to abandon a player who has continued to progress in his second season?

Considering the depth and talent of teams in the Western Conference, the Warriors have exceeded most expectations, and they still have an outside shot at earning a spot in the postseason.

But not if they trade Curry.

The David Lee experiment has been a mixed bag of sorts, since he provides the Warriors with the inside scoring they so desperately need, but lacks the interior defensive skills Golden State needs to contend with the powerhouses in the West.

Newcomer Dorrell Wright has also been a pleasant surprise with his strong perimeter defense and timely scoring, but Curry is still the engine that makes the Warriors go.

There was a time that I pleaded for the Warriors to give Curry the chance to stake his claim with another team in the NBA who would be more appreciative of his unique skill set, but that was before he became the face of Golden State's franchise.

There is no guarantee that the Warriors will reach the postseason, even if calmer heads prevail and Curry stays put.

But if he is traded, they would need another elite point guard just to have a chance.