Despite having been a journeyman for most of his career so far, Seth Curry could very well be one of the more underrated players available in this year’s NBA free agency class. While his older brother, Stephen Curry, may get a lot of the limelight, the younger Seth has proven to be a viable rotational player for multiple teams in recent years. His ability to shoot the lights out in any given game and provide key contributions off the bench are some of the main reasons that a team could find themselves adding a quality player to their roster by signing the younger Curry brother.
Seth Curry 2023 NBA Free Agent Profile
Background
Seth Curry’s career has definitely evolved since first coming into the NBA. After going undrafted in the 2013 NBA draft, Curry spent the majority of 2013-2015 playing in the NBA D-League for the Santa Cruz Warriors and the Erie BayHawks. Curry played well in the D-League, making two all-star teams, as well as two all-NBA D-League teams in 2014 and 2015. However, Seth Curry wouldn’t get his first real opportunity with an NBA team until the 2015-2016 season when he signed with the Sacramento Kings on a two-year, $2 million guaranteed contract.
NBA Progress
Since his 2015-2016 season in Sacramento, Curry has played for 4 other NBA teams, never being able to quite find a team that he could stick with long-term. Curry’s best season so far came in 2021-2022, where he averaged 15 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game on very efficient shooting splits. During that season, Curry was moved at the trade deadline as part of the package that included Ben Simmons and other assets being traded to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for James Harden. Curry would still go on to start in his 19 games played for the Nets during the 2nd half of that season and matched the same level of high-quality production that he had with the 76ers earlier that year.
Last season, Curry would go on to have a decent season primarily coming off the bench for the Nets. In his 61 games played last season for Brooklyn, Curry averaged 9.2 points per game on 46%, 40%, and 90% shooting splits. However, Curry would suffer a left ankle injury late in the season that would require surgery. That, coupled with the Nets’ major in-season trades involving Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, essentially clouded any sort of real conversation over Curry’s upcoming free agency period this summer.
Strengths
Without a doubt, Curry’s biggest strength is his shooting ability. Coming from one of the more, if not most, notable families when it comes to basketball marksmanship, Seth has definitely not strayed away from what his father, Dell Curry, and older brother Steph have also been known for in their NBA careers.
Throughout his career, Seth has averaged 11 points per game on 47% shooting from the field, 43% from three, and 86% from the free-throw line. Curry has developed to become one of the better pure shooters in the NBA. His ability to catch and shoot, shoot off screens/on the move, and shoot off the dribble make him a very valuable player solely based on his ability to stretch the floor so effectively.
Seth Curry also has shown that he can step up big when it matters most in the postseason. Albeit not the biggest sample size, Curry has averaged 11.6 points, 2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 41 playoff games in his career so far. His best playoff performance came in 2021 with the 76ers, in which Curry would average a remarkable 18.8 points per game, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists on 58% shooting from the field and 50% from three in 12 total playoff games that year. While more of an intangible trait, Curry’s ability to be a valuable contributor, both off the bench and as a starter, in the playoffs is noteworthy, particularly for teams looking for a player with some playoff pedigree and experience.
Weaknesses
Despite being a valuable player offensively, Curry can simultaneously be a liability defensively at times. Curry posted a 117.5 defensive rating last season, which ranked toward the very bottom of the league. Curry’s lack of quickness and agility defensively, along with his relatively undersized frame, often find him in some trouble when guarding the opponent’s best perimeter players.
Curry has also struggled with injuries since early on in his career. Back in 2017-2018, Curry missed the entire season with an injury on his left tibia. Since that time, Curry has missed games each season with a mix of lower body injuries to his ankle, hip, and hamstring. While Curry has been able to play over 60 games in each of his last two seasons, his durability still can be a concern at times, especially when he is asked to play a bigger role.
Potential Fits
While Curry may not necessarily be one of the big household names to move to a new team during this free agency period, he could still very well be a sneaky big contributor to a team looking to improve its shooting and add some more veteran presence to their backcourt.
Curry may want to join the Hornets. After being the 2nd worst three-point shooting team last season, averaging just 33% shooting from beyond the arc, Curry could immediately help this team improve their three-point shooting. Curry could also follow in his father’s footsteps by joining the Hornets. Earlier this month, Curry was asked about the potential to play for his hometown team and he left the door open to the possibility of it by saying, “You never know in this league”.
A sneaky team that could also make an offer for Curry is the San Antonio Spurs. San Antonio also struggled shooting from deep last season, averaging just 34.5% shooting from three. San Antonio also has the 3rd most cap room this summer and could look to add some veteran presence to a very young and exciting team. Curry could help add some needed three-point shooting, while also bringing some of that playoff pedigree that the Spurs could really use.
