Stephen Curry opened up at Golden State Warriors media day Monday about the personal significance behind his decision to re-sign with the only franchise he’s ever known.
Curry on Why Golden State Is “Home”
Speaking to reporters, according to Anthony Slater of ESPN, Curry described the extension as tied directly to his identity within the organization. “This is home. This is what we’ve built. A community that I’ve played in front of my entire career, and being able to finish the story the right way is a big part of what I think I can control, thankfully, and hopefully health-wise as well,” Curry said. “But I know the short list of guys that have been able to do it, but reimagine what that looks like with the level that I feel like I can play at down the stretch of my career and being open to even what this training camp looks like, the different ways to approach the game to sustain it as long as I can.”
Curry made a point of framing his legacy as something bigger than himself. “There’s a pride of representing the Bay, representing this franchise, that when I stepped foot here in ’09 and what we’ve all been able to accomplish. This isn’t just a me thing, this is a we. I wanna do right by that, so it’s always been an importance for me, and going into this contract decision, that was front of mind for sure.”
The Process Behind the Two-Year Deal
Curry signed a two-year, $116 million extension last week, a deal that could keep him with the Warriors through the 2028-29 season. He described the negotiation as a genuine back-and-forth rather than a quick decision. “It was a very kind of thoughtful journey, partnership of putting all the different scenarios out there,” Curry said. “It was of interest of making sure I was here, figuring out what was in the best setup for me, for the team, for the now, for the flexibility the rest of my career.”
Curry was eligible for the full max extension worth up to $136.7 million, but chose to leave money on the table to give the Warriors added cap flexibility. He compared the decision to preparing for an uncertain outcome. “Without knowing the answers to the test, it was my best way to study for it, if that makes sense,” Curry said. “We all have to do our jobs to win. We all know that, myself included. I’ve got to be healthy and available.”
What the Extension Could Mean for the Warriors’ Roster
The Warriors have multiple key contributors, including Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler, on expiring deals this season. Curry acknowledged his decision to take less money increases the flexibility to potentially retain them. “I know that there’s, the either/or at the beginning, what does a max contract look like on the sheet going into next season? That’s the immediate impact, and then you kind of assess that,” Curry said. “We discussed it ad nauseam over the last five months, and whatever it looks like in terms of what Mike is going to do to get our team in the right spot.”
Golden State opens preseason play against the Los Angeles Clippers in Hawaii on Oct. 4, before opening the regular season on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 21.
Warriors’ Stephen Curry Makes Personal Admission After Re-Signing