Stephen Curry’s future with the Golden State Warriors will face even more scrutiny now that the two-time MVP is eligible to sign a two-year, $136.7 million extension. Curry can sign the deal through June 30 or wait until 2027 free agency, when he could potentially land a three-year, $212.9 million contract.
While the decision remains Curry’s to make, recent comments from the Warriors and a theory from former teammate Stephen Jackson have added another layer to the conversation.
New Speculation Ramps up Intrigue Surrounding Stephen Curry’s $136.7 Million Extension Talks
About three weeks ago, Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. addressed Curry’s then-looming extension talks and said he was “confident” the 12-time All-Star would finish his career in the Bay Area.
Dunleavy did, however, leave the door open to an unlikely scenario. If Curry were to ask for a trade, he said, “(Team owner) Joe (Lacob) and I will talk it through.” The GM made it clear that the Warriors “wouldn’t love it,” but added that Curry “has earned the right to do what he wants.”
That comment caught the league’s attention, particularly with Curry now facing a decision on his next contract.
On Thursday’s “All The Smoke” podcast, Jackson offered his own theory about why Dunleavy was willing to acknowledge the possibility of Curry asking out.
“For him (Dunleavy) to come out and say that about Steph (Curry), somebody called them and threw them an offer that he probably couldn’t refuse, and out of respect, ‘I’m not going to Steph with that, but I would throw it out in the media that if Steph asked, we would do it,’” the former Warriors forward said.
“If somebody called him with a deal that he probably liked, ‘Hey, this might look good for us going down the line.’ It could have been a call from San Antonio ‘cause they got De’Aaron Fox. … You never know.”
Jackson’s comments add intrigue to a trade scenario that has already circulated the league.
A potential deal involving Curry, De’Aaron Fox, and multiple draft picks from the San Antonio Spurs has been floated, though there is no indication that either the Spurs or the Warriors are seriously pursuing it.
The speculation has largely been fueled by Golden State’s offseason. After plenty of excitement surrounding possible moves for LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Warriors ultimately stayed with a familiar core.
That has prompted questions about whether the roster is strong enough to give Curry another legitimate chance at chasing a fifth championship.
Dunleavy’s comments only intensified those discussions.
Warriors owner Joe Lacob later pushed back on the idea in an interview with Tim Kawakami, dismissing the trade chatter as “clickbait.” Lacob said he could not imagine a situation in which Curry would want to leave Golden State or one in which the Warriors would trade their franchise icon.
That remains the strongest indication of the organization’s position.
Curry has spent all 17 of his NBA seasons with Golden State and has consistently expressed his desire to retire as a Warrior. The 38-year-old also does not have to rush into signing the extension, giving both sides time to evaluate the roster and the team’s championship prospects.
As it is, the trade talk remains hypothetical. Curry’s extension eligibility simply makes the conversation more interesting because it puts a major decision on the horizon.
Unless the Warriors’ position changes or Curry himself asks for something different, the most likely outcome remains the one Dunleavy described: Curry finishing his career in the Bay Area.
