The Golden State Warriors made the move the entire NBA had been waiting for this weekend, coming to an agreement on a contract extension worth $116 million over two years for star point guard Stephen Curry, a deal that is about $10 million per year less than the maximum Curry could have taken, comes with a player option in the second year and helps carve out enough room for the Warriors to have a max-salary slot for next summer’s free agency hunt.
The news came from ESPN’s Shams Charania who wrote on Twitter/X: “BREAKING: Golden State’s Stephen Curry has agreed on a two-year, $116 million contract extension with the franchise, with a player option in 2028-29, sources tell ESPN.”
Stephen Curry Contract Gives More Room
Now, for the Warriors to have room for another max player, they will at least need to let stars Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler hit free-agency outright, among others. They could bring those players back, but there has been speculation that if the Warriors struggle this season, they could let Green, and maybe Butler, too, go in the coming months–either in free agency or in a trade at next February’s deadline.
But longtime Warriors beat writer Tim Kawakami does not see it that way–he writes that Curry’s deal opens a path for Green to stay, too.
He wrote on Twitter/X: “One year plus a player option — the same form that Kevin Durant did twice with the Warriors and splits the difference. Also, taking less sets up the Warriors to work the margins and IMO definitely makes it more likely they’ll bring back Draymond in 2027-28 or longer.”
Draymond Green ‘Excited’ for Warriors Season
Certainly, it seems that for the short term, Green is amped up about this coming Warriors season after a team gathering in San Diego. If there are signs of progress for the Warriors this year, it’s reasonable to assume he will be back long-term.
On his podcast, Green said: ““If you asked me a week ago like, ‘Yo, you excited for the season?’ I would tell you, ‘No, like I will be, but no.’ Well, San Diego, it brought that excitement for me. I’m excited as hell. I’m ready to go. Training camp coming up, top of next week. I’m fucking excited. But I definitely had to teach myself not to get excited. This mini-camp that Jimmy held, that Jimmy hosted, it got me there. I’m excited as hell.”
Warriors’ Stephen Curry Contract ‘Likely’ Means Draymond Green Move Coming