Stephen Curry is set to begin his 18th season with the Golden State Warriors, but as training camp nears, the best player in franchise history is entering a contract year. Curry became extension eligible in late August, but more than a month has passed and the two-time MVP has yet to put pen to paper on a new contract. Curry has made it clear that he wants to stay in the Bay Area for his entire career, but without a contract signed, there is always a touch of anxiety that things could change.
Curry, 38, spoke with ESPN this week about his contract situation and insisted there's "no drama" surrounding his unsigned extension, but that it's a matter of figuring out what's the right choice for him to make. "It's going to happen at the right time, once I have all the information I need to make the decision that is right," Curry said. "The team's been great having that conversation back and forth.
If I don't sign, it won't affect me in terms of my play or carrying that weight. But I'll make the decision when I'm ready." Curry could sign a two-year, $136.7 million extension to add to his expiring $62.6 million deal, but the Warriors have reportedly presented him with a variety of potential contract offers, ranging from the max to deals that would create more flexibility to add pieces around him. That seems to be what Curry means by trying to "make the decision that is right." "We're in a very interesting situation," Curry said.
"All the different salary cap conditions of whether I sign for a max or less or whatever it is, I want to be on a competitive team. I want to have an opportunity to have some flexibility because we haven't had that in years past, the recent past. ... This team should have flexibility to make necessary moves if things happen.
Those are always just the considerations. For me, information and patience is key. It's just a very unique situation all the way around based on where we've been the last four years, where I'm at in my career, what our team looks like this year and the absolute desperation to win.
Trying to balance all that." Since winning their last championship in 2022, the Warriors have made the playoffs just twice in the last four years and haven't returned to the Western Conference Finals. Curry has continued to play at an All-NBA level when healthy, but the team hasn't provided him with championship-caliber support. And this season's roster will look very similar to a group that went 37-45 in the regular season and lost in the play-in tournament.
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