How Likely Is the Warriors 38-Year-Old Catalyst to Sign an Eligible Extension in 26-27
Right before the summer began, I wrote an opinion piece on how I think the organization might handle the contract extension Stephen Curry would eventually become eligible for. Well, that time has now arrived upon us, but a few things have changed in these three months. The Warriors have filled up their roster, and currently sit just a few million dollars below the second apron threshold. That may sound like a lot, but don’t be mistaken because Golden State is tiptoeing a fine financial line right now. It’s time to reassess this situation and figure out how plausible it remains for the team to extend their cornerstone now.
If Golden State crosses the second apron line, it will be spending roughly an extra 65 million dollars. The positive of this scenario is that Curry’s potential extension would not immediately push Golden State deeper into financial trouble. Due to Curry’s $62.6 million cap hit already being accounted for in the 26-27 payroll, an extension would only affect the following two years. The 2022 Finals MVP is the obvious building block, even at the age of 38. However, with already limited financial wiggle room, would an organization whose front office is considered one of the best league-wide invest another $136.7 million? In my eyes, that’s the biggest tradeoff Mike Dunleavy and his advisors must consider. Yes, the future Hall-of-Fame inductee has poured his everything into the team, but he will be 40 years old by the end of a potential furthering of this all-time partnership.
Beyond the financial elements, Golden State has several reasons to either move quickly to close down on Curry’s eligibility or employ a more patient approach. The strongest argument for an extension is simple: he remains the engine of the franchise, and the Warriors have shown little indication that they are ready to enter a post-Curry rebuild. Any squad that has such an unguardable threat, who at his age still averages almost 27 points per game, as their top option will remain viable in contention. There’s also a clear argument against, because an old core group of players will sooner or later bow down to younger top dogs like the Thunder or the Spurs. The more Golden State pumps resources into Curry, the longer the road to recovery will be once the great one decides to hang up his kicks. I was already skeptical of how the Warriors may move; I believe that Dunleavy may opt for the more patient route, especially if the player decides to help and take less than the max. So my final verdict remains the same as it was in May: the seven-time NBA Champions will not progress for now.
