This weekend brings a major decision for Stephen Curry as he nears the end of his Golden State Warriors career. Does he really want to make a run at one more championship, or max out his final big-money opportunity?
This has been a very disappointing offseason for the Warriors. After missing the playoffs last season, various reports and rumors suggested Golden State was likely to make a big move in the summer. However, they failed in their pursuits of Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, and even Jaylen Brown. Now, they will return with much of the same roster from the 2025-26 season.
It has created a lot of speculation that Curry, the greatest player in franchise history, could be like many other NBA superstars and force his way out of San Francisco, with the Warriors not expected to be a title contender next season. Especially since he would soon become eligible for a max contract extension.
Well, on Saturday (August 29), the 12-time All-Star will officially be eligible to sign that extension. To many, it now means Curry will begin to contemplate whether he wants to finish his career with the Warriors. However, that shouldn’t be the question. It should really be: how does he want to finish his career with Golden State?
Does Curry want to do it as the leader of a team in title contention, or as a nostalgia act playing out his final years while making large sums of money?
The case for Stephen Curry to get one last max deal
On Saturday, the four-time NBA champion will be able to add two years and $137 million to the $62.6 million he is set to earn this year. It means forking over over $68 million annually to the franchise god for two more seasons. It seems like a ridiculous idea for a player in his age 39 and 40 seasons after playing in just 43 games last season, but could you really blame Curry or the team for doing it?
A case can be made that Curry is as important to the Warriors as any player has been for a pro sports franchise. Golden State’s devoted fanbase went through a lot of suffering in the three decades between his arrival in 2009 and their championship in 1975. He led the brand’s return to relevancy. But then he helped turn it into one of the most well-known teams around the world by turning the Warriors into the NBA’s most recent dynasty team.
Curry finishing his career in Golden State is important to many people in the organization and the state. While you don’t want to pay a player for past achievements, he is a player who puts butts in seats. Even if the team struggles in future seasons, they should still sell a lot of tickets if Curry is on the floor. However, in his late 30s, he is still a pretty good player. So the team would be paying for his brand and an impact player for two more seasons.
The two-time MVP has the right to hold his value in high regard. So if he wants to make another $137 million at the end of his career, it is his right. Especially since the Warriors will make far more than that in that time.
Why Stephen Curry needs to negotiate a discount retirement deal with Golden State Warriors
Curry has the right to make as much money as he can before he retires. But does he really need $137 million more? During his legendary career, the Warriors legend had made close to half a billion dollars. Will that max deal make him more financially secure?
The 38-year-old has the opportunity to join a special group of legends who took less to chase more greatness. Players like Dirk Nowitzki, Karl Malone, Gary Payton, Tim Duncan, and even Kevin Durant, when he joined Curry on the Warriors in 2017, took discount rates to try and get their first, or another championship. Curry has never seemed like a player for whom money was a more important goal than winning.
The Warriors will have a ton of money coming off the books after this season. If Curry took a team-friendly rate to finish his career with the Warriors, it means they would have a boatload of cash in a summer with a deep free agent class. Superstar talent like Nikola Jokic, Antetokounmpo, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Durant could be available. Stars that could make Golden State a title contender for a couple of years.
Curry has a big decision to make in the weeks and months ahead. Does he want more huge paychecks or the chance at another title?
Related Headlines