Stephen Curry Leaves $20 Million on the Table to Give the Warriors Room to Build

Stephen Curry could have signed for $136.7 million. He took $116 million instead.

The Warriors star agreed to a two-year extension on Friday, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania, and it keeps him with the only team he has played for through his 20th season. The final year, 2028-29, is a player option. The difference is deliberate: Golden State showed him several options, including waiting, and one of them was taking a little less so the team would have room to add talent. That's the one he picked.

Curry, who turns 39 this season, said earlier in the week that information and patience were key and that he wanted to be on a competitive team with the flexibility the Warriors haven't had lately. He also used the phrase that sums up where the franchise is: an absolute desperation to win.

Where the money goes

His salary drops from $62.6 million to $55.7 million in 2027-28, with the option at $60.2 million. That's about $10 million more cap space next summer, when Jimmy Butler III ($56.8 million) and Draymond Green ($27.6 million) come off the books and only $3 million of Kristaps Porzingis' $20 million is guaranteed. ESPN's Bobby Marks projects anywhere from $38 million to $55 million in room, depending on Brandin Podziemski's extension.

Curry wanted no drama before camp, and he settled it three days before the first practice. He missed 39 games last season with a right knee problem but says he feels no hesitation now. The deal also makes history: his career earnings reach $652 million, the first time any NBA player has passed $600 million.