Steph Curry might be one of the greatest shooters to ever touch a basketball court, but he’s also grounded enough to know that all good things eventually come to an end. Even for legends.

The Warriors superstar is currently dealing with patellofemoral pain syndrome, basically runner’s knee, which has kept him sidelined for over a dozen games this season. But don’t let that fool you: Curry is still playing at an elite level in his 17th year in the NBA. Still, his career is definitely in its later stages, and at some point, he might need to trade his starting role for a spot coming off the bench.

According to Howard Beck from The Ringer, who recently discussed this on FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back,” Curry is totally open to that possibility. “Yeah, I could be a role-player. I could come off the bench,” Curry told Beck in an interview back in January. It’s a surprisingly refreshing take from a player of his caliber, especially in a league where ego often gets in the way of pragmatism.

Beck pointed out that there are plenty of Hall of Famers who’ve successfully transitioned to smaller roles toward the end of their careers. Think Vince Carter during his later years, when he became part role-player, part mentor. Or Paul Pierce and Grant Hill, who both scaled back their playing time while still contributing to their teams. “There are a lot of different ways you can go out as an NBA legend in this league,” Beck explained, “and Steph, when we talked about it, seemed to put everything on the table”.

The key thing Curry emphasized? He won’t accept being a defensive liability. “I don’t want to be a traffic cone out there defensively,” he said. But here’s the thing, that’s probably never going to be an issue. Even if Curry loses a step or two, his elite shooting ability will likely stick around for the rest of his playing days. That skill set alone could keep him valuable well into his 40s.

One detail stood out crystal clear from Beck’s conversation with Curry: he wants his career to end in Golden State. No matter what role he’s playing, whether it’s a starter, a role-player, or even a part-time mentor, the Warriors are where he wants to finish.

It’s still unclear exactly when Curry will need to make that transition, but the fact that he’s already thinking about it shows real self-awareness. The question isn’t if he’ll eventually scale back his role, but rather how he’ll manage that transition when the time comes. And based on what we’ve seen from Curry throughout his career, we’re betting he’ll handle it with the same grace and humility that’s defined him off the court.