Stephen Curry has been the most underpaid player in the league ever since 2012, when he signed a four-year, $44 million contract. Now eligible for a five-year, $205 million maximum extension with the Warriors, he’ll be a free agent this summer. And if he wants that super-max deal, he’ll get it.
The day after Golden State won the title, Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob told Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group the Dubs are ready to pay up to keep their two-time MVP and champion with Golden State:
“We’re going to do whatever it takes to keep Steph here and happy,” Lacob told Tim Kawakami of Bay Area News Group when asked if the Warriors will offer Curry the maximum $205 million over five years this summer. “And I know he wants to be here and we want him here. So, I do not anticipate any issues with him staying.”
Curry deserves this monster payday after being the most underpaid player in the league for so long, and the Warriors should have room to give it to him because Kevin Durant reportedly is cool taking less than his maximum contract extension to keep Golden State’s core intact. (That would allow them to not only pay Curry but keep key reserves Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston as well.)
So keeping Curry in the Bay Area shouldn’t be much of a problem. Obviously any other team in the NBA would want him and offer him as much as they’re allowed, but Curry himself said in January he couldn’t imagine leaving the Warriors.
Via the The Mercury News:
“I can’t,” Curry said. “Like I’ve said from Day 1 when I was first asked about free agency, this is a perfect place to play. Bay Area fans are amazing, our organization’s amazing, we’ve put together an amazing team that’s competing for championships every year.
“There’s really no reason that I can see right now that would draw me elsewhere.
“And we’ll see what happens. But that’s kind of a great position to be in and one that allows me to just focus on just playing good basketball this year and winning a championship and letting the rest of that handle itself.”
Sure, that was five months ago and things can change. But what reason would Curry have to leave after winning his second title in three years and blowing through the postseason with a 16-1 record? With Curry, the Warriors are already historic favorites to repeat in the 2017-18 season.
If you don’t like super teams, I’m sorry. The Golden State dynasty is sticking around for the long haul.
