Golden State Warriors star guard Stephen Curry says the possibility of signing an extension with the organization is “on the table” and reiterated that he is hopeful he eventually will retire from the only professional team he has ever known.
When asked if he plans to sign a contract extension, Curry, 32, acknowledged that the discussions are ongoing.
“We have conversations,” Curry said Monday during a video conference with reporters. “Everything’s on the table right now. Everything I’ve talked about about being a Warrior and what the future holds. Obviously [I’m] fully committed on what that is. And understanding I’ve got to do what’s right for me and the team and having those conversations. I feel blessed to be in that position where I can say that and truly believe that, so it’s a matter of just letting things play out the way they should and that’s kind of where we’re at right now.”
Curry, who was originally selected by the Warriors with the seventh pick in the 2009 NBA draft, is currently in the midst of a five-year, $201 million supermax extension signed in 2017. As ESPN’s Bobby Marks reported, the max extension Curry is eligible for would be for three years and $156 million. It would start in 2022-23.
The two sides have until Dec. 21 to finalize an extension this season.
Curry reiterated what he has stated publicly several times over the years, which is that he is hopeful that he can finish his career with the Warriors.
“That’s a huge goal for sure,” Curry said. “It’s an elite club of guys that you look at that have played with the same organization and been successful and achieved greatness in that respect. So that would be an awesome accomplishment. Something that I’ve obviously spoken publicly about and am very committed to. But that also goes with there’s a lot more to be accomplished on the court, and again I can’t fast forward to what the end is going to be and not enjoy the moment, enjoy the challenges we have in front of us and what I have left to accomplish as a player so we’ll see what happens.
“I won’t be changing my number or doing anything like that trying to re-create my career. Let’s just play basketball and continue to try and achieve greatness.”
Curry, a two-time NBA MVP and three-time NBA champion, noted that he’s in no rush to lock in the security that would come with such a massive extension — he’s just focused on trying to get the Warriors to be the best team they can be in the present.
“It’s just more understanding what the landscape is and what the situation is going into the future,” Curry said. “We want to be competitive, we want to be in a situation where we’re competing for championships every single year. I want to be a part of that. And that’s the goal.”
Speaking of goals, Curry said while the number could always fluctuate depending on how he’s feeling, he’s hopeful that he can play at least as long as his father, Dell, did.
“I’ve always put 16 years because my dad played 16 years in the league and that was always the goal,” Curry said. “So now it’s just more so listen to your body and who knows? You can’t predict the future, but I’ve always said I want to play for as long as I can play at the level that I want to be at and hopefully you can be in that position where you end it on your own terms.”
As Curry decides how he wants to handle a possible extension, he remains optimistic about the Warriors’ chances in the short term despite the fact that Curry’s friend and teammate, Klay Thompson, is out for the year after tearing his Achilles.
“I know you guys can analyze the salary-cap sheet and look at what decisions might be in the future, but for what we have right now, I love where we’re at,” Curry said. “I love the fact that we have enough pieces, enough talent and enough experience to surprise a lot of people this year and try to compete at the top of the West, see what happens.”
Courtesy: ESPN
