Stephen Curry “Absolutely” Open to Sacrificing $40 Million on His New Warriors Contract, Sources Say

Stephen Curry is open to signing a below-max contract extension with the Golden State Warriors, according to people around the NBA, a decision that could sacrifice as much as $40 million but potentially give the franchise added financial flexibility to build around him as he closes out his career.

Curry, 38, is in the final season of his current Warriors contract, set to earn $65 million for the 2026-27 season. He is eligible to become a free agent in 2027, or he can sign a contract extension as soon as next month worth as much as $137 million over two seasons, the maximum allowed under the league’s current rules.

Speculation has centered on whether Curry will follow the approach recently taken by San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, who signed an extension earlier this month for 25% of the salary cap rather than the full 30% he was eligible to receive, a decision that cost him roughly $50 million relative to the maximum available deal. A Western Conference executive, speaking about the possibility that Curry could take a similar approach, expressed confidence that Curry would seriously weigh a below-max deal. “I think you absolutely will see Stephen Curry negotiate on that, but he is a smart guy,” the executive said. “He’ll want to know the options and the plan.”

Any decision by Curry to leave money on the table would carry broader implications beyond his own contract. The National Basketball Players Association has generally opposed players accepting less than their maximum eligible salary, viewing such decisions as potentially undermining broader collective bargaining leverage across the league. Curry has never served as an especially outspoken voice within the union, but has consistently maintained a respectful relationship with the NBPA throughout his career, a dynamic that could factor into how he ultimately approaches the decision.

Despite that broader union dynamic, Curry is described as motivated primarily by wanting to help the Warriors finish out his career competitively, and is said to be open to taking less than the maximum contract if doing so would meaningfully help the team build a stronger roster around him. Golden State currently has the ability to create significant salary cap room next summer, a flexibility that would be enhanced further if Curry accepts a below-max extension now.

Several variables remain unresolved that could shape how the situation ultimately plays out. Chief among them is the health and performance outlook for forward Jimmy Butler, whose potential return to form next season, and any decision by the Warriors about re-signing him and at what price, would factor directly into how the team could use any additional cap flexibility gained from a Curry sacrifice. The composition of the broader trade and free agent markets in the coming year would also shape whether giving up guaranteed money would actually translate into a meaningful roster upgrade for Golden State. According to people familiar with the situation, it would make little sense for Curry to give up money if the Warriors lack realistic star-level targets to pursue with the resulting cap space, meaning any final decision is likely to depend heavily on how those other roster questions resolve themselves over the coming months.

One prominent agent, discussing the balance Curry faces in weighing a below-max deal, pointed to Kobe Bryant’s final contract as a cautionary example rather than a model to follow. Bryant signed for the full maximum salary during his final two NBA seasons, earning $49 million total, while playing for Lakers teams that combined to win just 38 games over those two years, from 2014 to 2016. “I do think it is a balance for someone like Steph because you want to do right by your fellow players but you don’t want to go out like Kobe did,” the agent said. “There’s a middle ground.”

According to people familiar with the situation, that middle ground is likely to resemble the approach Wembanyama recently took in San Antonio: accepting roughly 25% of the salary cap rather than the full maximum. For Curry specifically, that structure would translate into a two-year deal worth approximately $90 million, a discount that would free up an additional $20 million in cap flexibility for the Warriors heading into next summer’s roster-building efforts.

Curry’s broader legacy with the Warriors organization has long been tied to the franchise’s transformation from decades of dysfunction into one of the NBA’s most successful franchises. Golden State spent 35 years struggling across every level of the organization, from players and coaches to the front office and ownership, before Curry fell to the team in the 2009 NBA draft. Early in his career, ankle injuries suffered just before he became extension-eligible on his rookie contract led him to sign for just $44 million over four years, a below-market deal at the time relative to several of his contemporaries, before his career blossomed into one of the most transformative individual runs the sport has seen, built substantially around his revolutionary impact on long-range shooting.

With Curry now eligible to negotiate a new extension as soon as next month, the Warriors organization faces a consequential decision point over how to balance loyalty to its longtime franchise player with the roster flexibility needed to compete effectively during what both Curry and the team clearly view as the closing chapter of his playing career.