On Thursday, Stephen Curry penned a one-year, $62.6 million extension with the Warriors. This will ensure his stay in the Bay Area until the 2026/27 season, during which the ‘Splash Brother’ will turn 39 years old. This breakthrough prompted ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst to weigh in with his thoughts.
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On First Take, Brian explained how this move showcased Curry’s exemplary commitment to the franchise. The 4x champion consequently chose not to wait until the final year of his current 4-year, $215 million contract to decide his future.
“This is him [Stephen Curry] just backing up what he has always said, which is, he wants to be a Warrior for life… This is a vote of confidence in the direction of the Warriors… He could have waited another year and next year, he would have been allowed to sign for two years.”
He further discussed how this decision reflected Curry’s alignment with the Warriors’ ongoing operations.
“For him doing this now is saying, ‘Hey, I respect what we’re doing as an organization and we’re gonna sort of pivot and try to continue to improve here.'”
Windhorst later argued the Warriors’ recent trade pursuits might have bolstered Curry’s confidence. For instance, the franchise was determined to bring LeBron James to the Bay Area this past February. During the off-season, they also explored trade talks with superstars like Paul George and Lauri Markkanen.
Although none of these deals materialized, they reflected the Warriors’ ambition to revive its past glory. Windhorst believed the franchise could thus leverage its young core and future draft picks to build a competitive team in the coming years.
“One thing that the Warriors have been doing since last winter is they are big game hunting… The Warriors tried to trade for LeBron James at February’s trade deadline… Then over the summer, they tried to trade for Paul George… They tried to trade for Lauri Markkanen… This is a team to watch going forward transactionally.”
Windhorst‘s observations pointed to the mutual trust between Chef Curry and the Warriors. For context, the 10x All-Star was the cornerstone of the franchise’s three championship wins in the previous decade. He also defied expectations by leading them to another title in 2022.
The Warriors simultaneously have always respected Curry’s invaluable contributions. In the 2017/18 season, they made him the highest-paid NBA player with a 5-year, $201 million contract. The Akron-born has held this status ever since.
Moreover, his latest extension would mark him as the first player to earn more than $60 million in a single season. This deal also put him in an elite group alongside James and Kevin Durant as only the third player to surpass $500 million in career earnings.
The Warriors are undoubtedly hellbent on maximizing their championship window with Curry. This offseason’s acquisitions of sharpshooter Buddy Hield, the two-way guard De’Anthony Melton, and small forward Kyle Anderson have already addressed last season’s gaps.
The team’s young core, including Brandin Podziemski, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and Trayce Jackson-Davis, adds depth to the roster. These players have already shown glimpses of their capabilities during their short time in the NBA. The time has come for them to step up and take the franchise forward.
