Stephen Curry On Warriors Extension: It's Still About Winning

[RealGM Wiretap]

Stephen Curry signed a one-year, $62.6 million extension with the Golden State Warriors. The additional year keeps Curry with the only club he's ever played for through the 2026-27 season. For Curry, he said it wasn't just about adding a year to his deal to stay with the Warriors.

"It’s still about winning," Curry said, "and taking the steps necessary to give ourselves a chance. The standard hasn’t changed. The expectation hasn’t changed."

This extension aligns Curry's contract with that of Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins as far as end-dates go. But Curry said it isn't about lining things up for the end of his career. For the veteran guard, he wanted to remove a potential distraction to focus on the upcoming season. That's the same approach Curry has had for his entire career.

"It’s not different from my perspective," Curry told The Athletic. "You have an appreciation for the position and the opportunity and the support from people who’ve been with you on the journey. I’ve always said I wanted to play for one team my whole career. So it’s good to get (the extension) question out of the way and give complete focus to basketball and to the season."

Via Marcus Thompson II/The Athletic

[Roy T]

Your contending days are over. Crippling the teams options to get you some additional quality teammates by signing for an absurd amount does that.

[Revived]

Your contending days are over. Crippling the teams options to get you some additional quality teammates by signing for an absurd amount does that.

They weren’t gonna get anyone that would make a difference in propelling them to being a contender regardless of whether he signed the extension or not.

Remember when Dirk kept taking pay cuts for the Mavs to bring in good players around him? And with that, the best player Cuban was able to bring in was…Chandler Parsons lmfao.

I’m sure Dirk now wishes he had just taken the $$ instead.

[hyberx]

Your contending days are over. Crippling the teams options to get you some additional quality teammates by signing for an absurd amount does that.

They weren’t gonna get anyone that would make a difference in propelling them to being a contender regardless of whether he signed the extension or not.

Remember when Dirk kept taking pay cuts for the Mavs to bring in good players around him? And with that, the best player Cuban was able to bring in was…Chandler Parsons lmfao.

I’m sure Dirk now wishes he had just taken the $$ instead.

Exactly. What good player is gonna commit to the team without Curry? Not unless you overpay them. Might as well give the money to Curry who is actually deserve it.

[Effigy]

Winning at life, sure. But not winning meaningful basketball games. Those days are over. Steph took the money and I don't blame him. He's won enough. He's proven himself. He doesn't need to go play for the mid level and try to get a cheap ring.

[MartyConlonJr]

My Heat tried to get cute with Dwyane Wade back in the day and made him an afterthought to signing Hassan Whiteside. The idea from Pat Riley was to give Wade the best chance at winning (well, at the time Hassan seemed worth it), and wanted him on a discount. Tried to offer him 2 years for 20 mill, then doubled that, but he took 2 years and 47 mill from Bulls.

You just pay your HOF superstars who have been with one team their whole careers. (Counterpoint is Jimmy Butler might not be in Miami if Wade hadn't sold him on the franchise while in Chicago though)

[Revived]

My Heat tried to get cute with Dwyane Wade back in the day and made him an afterthought to signing Hassan Whiteside. The idea from Pat Riley was to give Wade the best chance at winning (well, at the time Hassan seemed worth it), and wanted him on a discount. Tried to offer him 2 years for 20 mill, then doubled that, but he took 2 years and 47 mill from Bulls.

You just pay your HOF superstars who have been with one team their whole careers. (Counterpoint is Jimmy Butler might not be in Miami if Wade hadn't sold him on the franchise while in Chicago though)

Jimmy wanted to get paid and be somewhere that has warm weather with a chance to win. Miami always made the most sense lol. The guy’s always demanded out of teams when they hesitated on giving him max extensions…he’d do the same thing in Miami too.

[purpleswordfish]

It makes sense for everyone. Curry may as well take the max for that year. Unless the Warriors can somehow get out of the Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins contracts before they expire. Both have a player option that year and I can't see any scenario where those two decline the option.

There really aren't any trade partners that help with either contract. The Warriors are kind of locked in with the current roster until they can move on from Green and Wiggins. Sometimes you have to go through salary cap hell for a few years.

[MitchB3]

My Heat tried to get cute with Dwyane Wade back in the day and made him an afterthought to signing Hassan Whiteside. The idea from Pat Riley was to give Wade the best chance at winning (well, at the time Hassan seemed worth it), and wanted him on a discount. Tried to offer him 2 years for 20 mill, then doubled that, but he took 2 years and 47 mill from Bulls.

You just pay your HOF superstars who have been with one team their whole careers. (Counterpoint is Jimmy Butler might not be in Miami if Wade hadn't sold him on the franchise while in Chicago though)

That's a great point.

[MitchB3]

Winning at life, sure. But not winning meaningful basketball games. Those days are over. Steph took the money and I don't blame him. He's won enough. He's proven himself. He doesn't need to go play for the mid level and try to get a cheap ring.

I'm sensing shots fired at Dame?

[MitchB3]

My Heat tried to get cute with Dwyane Wade back in the day and made him an afterthought to signing Hassan Whiteside. The idea from Pat Riley was to give Wade the best chance at winning (well, at the time Hassan seemed worth it), and wanted him on a discount. Tried to offer him 2 years for 20 mill, then doubled that, but he took 2 years and 47 mill from Bulls.

You just pay your HOF superstars who have been with one team their whole careers. (Counterpoint is Jimmy Butler might not be in Miami if Wade hadn't sold him on the franchise while in Chicago though)

Jimmy wanted to get paid and be somewhere that has warm weather with a chance to win. Miami always made the most sense lol. The guy’s always demanded out of teams when they hesitated on giving him max extensions…he’d do the same thing in Miami too.

Jimmy is worth the max. I love Heat culture, but if Pat Riley does this to Jimmy after doing the same thing to Wade, players might look at the Heat sideways. You must pay the players who held you down and made you relevant.

[deeps6x]

It's Still About Winning...
But mostly about the MONEY.

[deeps6x]

My Heat tried to get cute with Dwyane Wade back in the day and made him an afterthought to signing Hassan Whiteside. The idea from Pat Riley was to give Wade the best chance at winning (well, at the time Hassan seemed worth it), and wanted him on a discount. Tried to offer him 2 years for 20 mill, then doubled that, but he took 2 years and 47 mill from Bulls.

You just pay your HOF superstars who have been with one team their whole careers. (Counterpoint is Jimmy Butler might not be in Miami if Wade hadn't sold him on the franchise while in Chicago though)

Wade was a Bull? That's entirely forgettable. I guess that's why you don't give players max money when they are well past their prime. He probably sold some tickets for them though... then disappointed the fans.

[Effigy]

Winning at life, sure. But not winning meaningful basketball games. Those days are over. Steph took the money and I don't blame him. He's won enough. He's proven himself. He doesn't need to go play for the mid level and try to get a cheap ring.

I'm sensing shots fired at Dame?

lol! Not at all! I’m not mad at Dame, I hope he gets his ring! But he’s not taking discounts either. I don’t think anyone should.

[rand]

Your contending days are over. Crippling the teams options to get you some additional quality teammates by signing for an absurd amount does that.

They weren’t gonna get anyone that would make a difference in propelling them to being a contender regardless of whether he signed the extension or not.

Remember when Dirk kept taking pay cuts for the Mavs to bring in good players around him? And with that, the best player Cuban was able to bring in was…Chandler Parsons lmfao.

I’m sure Dirk now wishes he had just taken the $$ instead.

How much did Dirk lose in those pay cuts? Cuban paid him $25 million in 2017 at age 38, which was about $15-20 million more than he was worth on the court. Dirk's final season in 2019 he was a vet min caliber player but got double that at $5 million. Seems like Cuban took care of Dirk at the end by making up most if not all of what Dirk lost.

[MitchB3]

Winning at life, sure. But not winning meaningful basketball games. Those days are over. Steph took the money and I don't blame him. He's won enough. He's proven himself. He doesn't need to go play for the mid level and try to get a cheap ring.

I'm sensing shots fired at Dame?

lol! Not at all! I’m not mad at Dame, I hope he gets his ring! But he’s not taking discounts either. I don’t think anyone should.

Taking a discount depends on the player and the team. Tim Duncan constantly took discounts to help the Spurs build a contender. His reward was 5x champ, 2x FMVP, and the GOAT PF. Tim is different and unique. I have two trains of thought, 1- If the team comes to you and gives you that Kobe Bryant (RIP) "Thank you for everything money" take it; on the other hand if you want to cement your legacy and a chip is what you need, maybe look into taking something cheaper and get that ring.

[Effigy]

I'm sensing shots fired at Dame?

lol! Not at all! I’m not mad at Dame, I hope he gets his ring! But he’s not taking discounts either. I don’t think anyone should.

Taking a discount depends on the player and the team. Tim Duncan constantly took discounts to help the Spurs build a contender. His reward was 5x champ, 2x FMVP, and the GOAT PF. Tim is different and unique. I have two trains of thought, 1- If the team comes to you and gives you that Kobe Bryant (RIP) "Thank you for everything money" take it; on the other hand if you want to cement your legacy and a chip is what you need, maybe look into taking something cheaper and get that ring.

Sure I get that, and the converse example is Dirk Nowitzki who also took less after that first title and got no additional titles to show for it. The Warriors won't be winning any more titles no matter what they pay Steph. His only shot would be to leave and try to win another ring somewhere else and I don't really think that helps his legacy that much. Dude won 4 rings in GS. His legacy is secure.

[MitchB3]

lol! Not at all! I’m not mad at Dame, I hope he gets his ring! But he’s not taking discounts either. I don’t think anyone should.

Taking a discount depends on the player and the team. Tim Duncan constantly took discounts to help the Spurs build a contender. His reward was 5x champ, 2x FMVP, and the GOAT PF. Tim is different and unique. I have two trains of thought, 1- If the team comes to you and gives you that Kobe Bryant (RIP) "Thank you for everything money" take it; on the other hand if you want to cement your legacy and a chip is what you need, maybe look into taking something cheaper and get that ring.

Sure I get that, and the converse example is Dirk Nowitzki who also took less after that first title and got no additional titles to show for it. The Warriors won't be winning any more titles no matter what they pay Steph. His only shot would be to leave and try to win another ring somewhere else and I don't really think that helps his legacy that much. Dude won 4 rings in GS. His legacy is secure.

There are two things on Dirk, 1- I believe he got some ownership percentage because there's no way he's taking less and less and the Mavs weren't bringing in big names or players to make them contenders. 2- European and/or international players tend to be more on the loyal side, so they would do something to help the team.

[Luv those Knicks]

2 MVPs, 4 titles. The first 73 win team ever.

I think the message is, when you have a guy who's given that much to your franchise, a final payment of 61 million is well earned and it sends the right message.

Is it still about wining . . . no. That's a lie, but he gave GS one of the best decades in basketball history. He's going to have a statue in front of the arena. No problem with this contract.


The Knicks wanted to draft him too but they won a few too many games, ending the year 32-50. I'm glad the NBA has mixed up the draft lottery so that losing more games isn't rewarded quite as much as it used to be. Better to leave it up to chance than reward the teams with more losses.