Stephen Curry has signed a two-year contract extension worth $116m with the Golden State Warriors, a deal that includes a player option for the 2028-29 season and keeps him tied to the only NBA organisation of his career through at least 2027-28.
The agreement was announced by the Warriors and reported by ESPN, which said Curry chose a lower salary than the maximum available to him in order to give Golden State more scope to reshape its roster. Curry had been eligible for a two-year extension worth up to $136.7m, meaning the final deal is worth about $20m less than that ceiling.
It provides contract certainty for the four-time NBA champion before the Warriors begin training camp, while also placing a major focus on how the franchise uses its projected room in the next off-season.
A lower salary creates potential room for Warriors
ESPN reported that Curry will earn $62.6m this season, followed by $55.7m in 2027-28 under the new extension. If he exercises his player option, he would receive $60.2m in 2028-29.
That structure is projected to give Golden State around $10m in additional salary-cap space next summer compared with a maximum extension. The eventual amount available will still depend on other roster choices, so the potential flexibility should not be treated as a settled figure.
Jimmy Butler III and Draymond Green are both due to have expiring contracts next summer, according to ESPN. Kristaps Porzingis has $3m guaranteed from a $20m salary, while Brandin Podziemski has a $17m cap hold if he has not agreed an extension. ESPN’s Bobby Marks estimated that those decisions could leave the Warriors with between $38m and a projected $55m of cap space.
The figures make the next off-season especially important for Golden State’s planning. ESPN reported that the extra projected room from Curry’s contract could allow the Warriors to be a bigger participant in free agency or the trade market, but any eventual spending power will be shaped by decisions on the wider squad. The extension therefore establishes one element of the club’s future salary picture rather than resolving all of its roster questions.
Curry had told ESPN that his priority was to be part of a competitive team and that the Warriors needed flexibility to make necessary moves. He said the team had not had that room in recent years, and described patience and information as important considerations in deciding his contract.
The decision therefore gives Golden State a clearer route to pursue roster changes around its leading player, although it does not itself guarantee that the club will make an addition or that available space will reach the higher end of projections.
Security for Curry’s next seasons
ESPN reported that the Warriors offered Curry several options, including waiting to agree a deal or signing for the maximum. He instead opted for the combination of security and a reduced figure. Hoops Rumors reported that Curry was limited to a two-year agreement under the NBA’s over-38 rule.
ESPN reported that Curry had considered his options for nearly a month before reaching his decision three days before the Warriors’ first practice. He had said he wanted no drama around the negotiations heading into training camp. The timing brought clarity before the team reconvened, but did not alter the conditional nature of Golden State’s future room under the salary cap.
Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr said the club was excited to reach an agreement and extend Curry’s career with the franchise. The team has had Curry for 17 years, according to Dunleavy, and the new agreement ensures that relationship will continue into Curry’s 20th NBA season.
The extension also takes Curry’s career on-court earnings to about $652m, ESPN reported, making him the first NBA player to exceed $600m in such earnings.
Curry missed 39 games last season because of a persistent right-knee issue, but ESPN reported that he said he felt physically ready to return to work after the off-season. With the contract settled, the Warriors can now assess their immediate roster and longer-term options with Curry’s salary path established for the next three seasons if he takes up his option.