Warriors GM Labels Stephen Curry the Best Franchise Cornerstone in History After $116 Million Extension

Stephen Curry agreed to a two-year, $116 million extension with Golden State, with a player option.

Warriors GM Labels Stephen Curry the Best Franchise Cornerstone in History After $116 Million Extension

Stephen Curry (Image credits - Bleacher Report)

No player has carried the Golden State Warriors on his shoulders as Stephen Curry has over the past decade. Drafted seventh overall in the 2009 NBA Draft, Curry has transformed the organization on and off the court.

Curry has completed 17 seasons with the Warriors. After a slow start, Curry developed into a superstar and led the Dubs to four championships. He was the face of the franchise and led arguably one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history from 2015 to 2019.

Dub Nation has watched Curry grow from a rookie to one of the greatest players of all time. During his career, he won two MVPs, one Finals MVP, two scoring titles, and broke numerous franchise records.

On Friday, NBA insider Shams Charania announced that Curry agreed to a two-year, $116 million extension with the Warriors, with a player option for the 2028-29 season. Following the announcement, General Manager Mike Dunleavy released a statement and was pleased to see Curry continue with them.

There has never been a better face to a franchise in professional sports history, both on and off the court, than Stephen Curry with the Warriors.

Mike Dunleavy on Stephen Curry

Since lifting the title in 2022, the Warriors front office has done a poor job of surrounding their franchise player with the right talent. After missing the playoffs this year, the Warriors pursued LeBron James in free agency.

With James signing for the Philadelphia 76ers, the Warriors front office failed to make any big acquisitions once again. Hence, with the Warriors far from title contenders once again, rumors of Curry’s future began to swirl around.

While Curry reiterated that he would love to end his career in Golden State, he was yet to sign his contract extension. After putting pen to paper on Friday night, Curry will join a rare group of four players who have played at least 20 seasons with one team: Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, and Udonis Haslem.

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Fans react to Mike Dunleavy’s message after Stephen Curry’s contract extension

The Warriors have not had many meaningful postseason runs since lifting the championship in 2022. They have missed the playoffs twice in the last three years and look like a Play-In Tournament at best heading into the new season. Hence, Curry’s contract extension will be a huge sigh of relief for Dunleavy, who has been heavily criticized for not giving Curry enough support.

After Dunleavy’s statements, fans reacted across social media.

Warriors fans were delighted to see their greatest player sign a two-year extension with the franchise. While they agreed with Dunleavy’s comments, many called him out for not doing enough to help Curry win his fifth championship.

Stephen Curry’s $20 million Warriors decision could have massive payoff

Stephen Curry may be in the twilight of his career, but he has shown no signs of slowing down. While injuries restricted him to just 43 appearances last season, he still averaged 26.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists.

Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry (Image credits – Fadeaway World)

It was reported that Curry was offered a number of different deals last month. The 38-year-old had a clear message to his team that his contract negotiations should not be a distraction heading into the 2026-27 campaign.

While he had a two-year, $136 million deal on the table, the four-time champion decided to take a $20 million pay cut. He spent the past few days explaining that his next contract wasn’t simply about squeezing every available dollar out of the organization.

Curry’s discount could turn what was already an unusually flexible 2027 offseason into something much more significant for the Warriors. Therefore, the Warriors could have enough room to chase a max-level free agent while keeping Curry next year.

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