Signing Stephen Curry this summer seemed like a no-brainer: The Warriors offered the designated player max contract of five-years, $201 million, and he said “yes.”
But it’s a little more complicated than that. Curry wanted all the perks of a superstar contract, including a no-trade clause, and/or a fifth-year player option.
The Warriors shot him down, according to Marcus Thompson of The Athletic Bay Area.
This doesn’t mean there was bad blood, or that both sides didn’t want the deal to get done. They did. What this is about was a little bit of control over the end of the deal, which ultimately, and probably, will not matter. Right now it’s next to impossible to see the Warriors trading Curry, he is the face of the franchise (if not the best player), but five years is a long time in the NBA and things happen.
Curry wanted a player-options so he could be a free agent again in the summer of 2021, at age 33, when he likely still pulls another max contract. The Warriors wanted him under their control for as long as possible. The Warriors won out... so Curry had to settle for making $45.8 million that final season. He’ll be fine.
This is how negotiations go — one side asks for everything, and the other side counters (at least Warriors ownership didn’t try to lowball Curry figuring he would stay no matter what). In the end, everyone shakes hands and, in this case, got what they wanted — Curry to remain a Warrior through his prime. Curry remains part of the best team in the land, one that should rack up more rings and grow his brand.
Now we can return to Golden State getting over its championship hangover and starting to turn up the pressure.