How Stephen Curry Could Have Saved $40 million by Playing with Ja Morant and Co. instead of the Warriors

Stephen Curry is the best player of the past decade. While a little controversial, this statement is certainly backed by the 6ft 3″ maestro’s contribution to the most successful team in the last decade. And what performance can top a superstar who regularly brought the most precious season trophy to San Fransisco 4 times?

Naturally, for his excellence, the Warriors have offered Curry a salary befitting that of a king. Currently, the Warriors superstar is currently on a 4-year $215 million contract. The latest deal between the Warriors and Curry kicked off this season, which means he will make 48 million this year.

But a paycheck this high has its own drawbacks. In Curry’s case a $40 million drawback. fascinatingly, if he had played for the Grizzlies, Curry would have saved the $40 million in question.

Stephen Curry could have saved $40 million

The Warriors’ sharpshooter has earned over $300 million in his career. That’s a lot of money by any standard. In comparison, Kobe Bryant made $323 million in his 20-year career, and Curry has played only 13 seasons so far. In conclusion, Curry makes big bucks. So, naturally, he has to pay extravagant taxes.

Andre Petcash, a Twitter page boasting to specialize in ‘Athlete businesses,’ claimed Steph has already paid $40.2 million in taxes over the duration of his career.  His several endorsements added to the NBA salary makes Curry one of the highest-paid athletes in the world. But even then, his tax certainly takes off a big chunk of his earnings. Just last year, he paid $6.3 million in taxes.

This is why taxes suck…

Steph Curry’s taxes from just California:
• $6.3 million in 2023
• $40.2 million over his career

Ouch. pic.twitter.com/LK0Sbcp7nz

— Andrew Petcash (@AndrewPetcash) March 25, 2023

The reason for this is Curry’s location. California has a really high tax rate of 13.6%. Meanwhile, there is no tax in Tennessee. So, if Stephen Curry had played for the Grizzlies, not only would he have teamed up with Ja Morant but likely saved $40 million. Similar states with 0% taxes are Florida and Texas. Curry could have played for any of these teams and saved a fortune.

Moreover, Steph is going to make almost $170 million in the next 3 years. He will pay close to $22 million in taxes just for his salary. Along with his never-ending endorsements, that taxes will certainly be a lot more. Imagine all the money he could have saved playing for a team from Texas, Tennessee, and Florida.

Curry’s legacy will always be associated with Golden State

In all fairness, what is $40 million in the face of 4 championships? One could even argue that all the success in Steph’s life is all because he played for the Warriors. Under a different coach, in different circumstances, Curry’s legacy would have been vastly different.

Fortunately, Curry has chosen loyalty and legacy over money. He knows the worth of winning and he knows the worth of surrounding himself with the right people. $40 million is a small price to pay for all that he has achieved because of Golden State.