Cedric Ceballos: Steph Curry Wouldn't Be Able to Do the Same Things in My Era

Former NBA forward Cedric Ceballos weighed in on the evolution of the league's dynamics and playing style, drawing a comparison between his era and the modern game led by Stephen Curry. Ceballos pointed to both the physical intensity of the past and the massive spike in contemporary player salaries.

"I think that's where the difference in the game lies. I took a lot of heat when I said Stephen Curry wouldn't be able to do the same things in my era. Back then, you had guys on the floor like Oakley, the Masons, and Buck Williams making $100,000. If someone pulled up from half-court, you'd have serious problems waiting for you in the locker room. Magic talks about this all the time too—how players would get into fights and Oakley would slap guys around. It was all about the money. Today, if I'm making $60 or $80 million, I'd say: go ahead and shoot, Steph, I couldn't care less. On contracts like that, I don't have to go losing teeth for the kind of money guys were making back then," Ceballos said during an appearance on All The Smoke.