Kevin Durant Or Stephen Curry? Kellerman Reveals Which Warriors Star Is Irreplaceable

With all the talk and speculation as to whether this may or may not be the last season the core group of Golden State Warriors stars play together, ESPN commentator Max Kellerman argues there is only one irreplaceable player in the starting lineup.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr repeatedly claimed on media day earlier this week that his players, who have won three championships in the last four years, needed to enjoy the present as anything could happen next year.

"A lot could change. We don’t know," Kerr said. "Obviously we want to keep this thing going. At some point, you just have to enjoy the moment and enjoy the now. There’s going to be so much speculation on what’s ahead. Nobody knows what’s ahead."

While Kerr later stated he hoped this wasn't the team's "last dance" together, he is right to be cautious. Kevin Durant could become a free agent next year with reports linking him away from the Bay Area after signing another one-plus-one deal earlier this summer.

Klay Thompson is another star who can become a free agent, though he has made it clear he wants to remain with Golden State for life, while Draymond Green also wants to stay but is unlikely to pen an extension before 2020.

It is only Stephen Curry who is certain to be with the Warriors for the long term, having signed a five-year, $201 million deal last year, and the 30-year-old happens to be the player Kellerman believes is irreplaceable, to the extent that even if the other four members of the starting lineup were replaced, they would still win challenge for titles.

"It's realistic [the Warriors remaining together] but it hinges on one thing and that's Steph Curry's health," Kellerman said on ESPN. "You can change any other part on the Warriors, even Draymond Green, if you had the right kind of player. If you swapped out Draymond for P.J. Tucker, I'm not saying they would be quite as good but they'd still win the championship. If you swapped out Klay for Danny Green in a good year, they're still going to win the championship. If you swapped out Kevin Durant for Paul George, the point is whether or not they even win the championship, they're going to be right there."

"It's about Steph Curry. If Steph stays healthy, he's the only non-replaceable part on that team. If Steph stays healthy, they got a shot because every other part you can mix and match and bring in an approximation for, can't do that with Steph," he added.

While Curry's scoring average has slightly decreased since the arrival of Durant two years ago, he is still very much a vital cog to the Warriors machine.

Last season, he averaged 26.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists during the regular season and played a huge role in the Warriors coming back from 3-2 down to defeat the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Finals.

Golden State also struggled without him toward the end of the regular season when Curry had injury problems, losing 10 of their last 17 games. Kellerman may have a point.