When the NBA’s reigning scoring champ Stephen Curry eventually decides to hang ‘em up, the future Hall-of-Famer will go down as one of the greatest players in league history. He’ll also go down as one of the richest, totaling over $400 million in career earnings. Not bad for a guy who couldn’t even get a scholarship offer to his father’s alma mater, Virginia Tech (the Hokies would only offer him a walk-on spot). Let’s also not forget Curry was the third point guard drafted in 2009 behind the Timberwolves’ duo of Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn.
Some had theorized Curry could bolt Golden State to join a super-team in Los Angeles or elsewhere as a free agent in 2022, but the 33-year-old put those rumblings to bed in emphatic fashion Monday by agreeing to a four-year, $215-million max extension. Even for the NBA, where nine-figure paydays are handed out like Costco samples, Curry’s contract numbers are truly staggering. Per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the two-time MVP will take home an obscene $59.6 million in the final year of his deal, which expires in 2026. As pointed out by Zack Pierce of The Athletic, that’s more than the Pittsburgh Pirates’ entire payroll this season ($54.8 million).
Wild as that may seem, Pierce is actually underselling it. According to contract figures compiled by Spotrac, Pirates are one of four major-league teams—the others being Cleveland, Baltimore and Miami—earning less than Curry.
While not a bargain by any stretch, Curry, over a decade into his career, remains an all-world shooter with no signs of slowing down anytime in the near future. After missing the playoffs for a second consecutive season, the Warriors figure to be much improved in 2021-22, granted the health of Klay Thompson, who is still recovering from a torn Achilles suffered last fall. Golden State has also been at the center of trade discussions involving Ben Simmons and Bay Area native Damian Lillard.
Related
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy Sports
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram