Stephen Curry is arguably the greatest player in the Golden State Warriors history. Curry bleeds blue and yellow and the team and the fans absolutely adore him. The point guard has been the main responsible to make the Warriors one of the top teams in the NBA and he’s ready to keep things that way.
Curry is not slowing down, but he’s not getting any younger and the Warriors should be getting ready for life after him. Steph, though, wants to remain with the team as long as possible and recently vowed to finish his career with the Dubs. He’s eligible to sign a huge contract extension that will keep him on the team at least until 2025.
He’s not talking much about money, but Steph has made it clear he wants to play with the Warriors until the end of his NBA career.
Via Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic:
“Wearing the same jersey for as long as I can … that’s a huge goal,” Curry said via Zoom after the Warriors’ first training-camp practice on Monday. “It’s an elite club of guys that you look at that have played with the same organization and been successful and achieved greatness in that respect. So that would be an awesome accomplishment. … But that also goes with: There’s a lot more to be accomplished on the court. And, again, I can’t fast-forward to what the end is going to be and not enjoy the moment, enjoy this challenge that we have in front of us and what I have left to accomplish as a player.”
What Curry was vague about is when it would get done and if that would happen this offseason. He didn’t exhibit any urgency. Quite the opposite.
“We have conversations,” Curry said. “Everything’s on the table right now. I know just in terms of everything I’ve talked about being a Warrior and what the future holds. Obviously, I’m fully committed on what that is and understanding that I’ve got to do what’s right for me and the team. … So it’s a matter of just letting things kind of play out the way that they should. That’s kind of where we’re at right now.”
Thompson explains that Curry would make a lot of money if he agreed to a contract extension before the first regular season game this campaign.
The maximum Curry could sign for in an extension — which would start in the 2022-23 season — is three years, $155.7 million. If Curry did sign the full extension this offseason, it would put him under contract through 2024-25. He’d be 37 at the end of that contract.
If he agreed to this extension, Curry would make $48,070,014 in 2022/23, $51,915,615 in 2023/24 and $55,761,216 in 2024/25. These numbers would earn Curry $244,534,173 until he’s 37, in 2025. His goal is to play 16 years in the league, just like his father Dell. This deal would grant him that wish.
“I wanted to play 16 years because my dad played 16 years in the league and, like, that was always the goal,” Curry said. “Now, it is more so ‘listen to your body.’ Who knows? You can’t predict the future, but I have always said I want to play for as long as I can play at the level that I want to be at. And hopefully, you could be in a position where you ended on your own terms. So whatever that means. Hopefully, that is closer to 40.”
This season the Warriors have some pressure to demonstrate they are still a threat in the league. Even though Klay Thompson won’t play with them, Curry and co. will try to compete in a Western Conference that is way harder than the one we saw in 2019, the last time the Dubs made it to the NBA Finals.
