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Many will point to Monta Ellis' trade as the seminal moment that turned the Golden State Warriors from playoff pretenders to championship contenders. However, just as important was the signing of Stephen Curry to an extension of his rookie deal — a four-year, $44 million pact owner Joe Lacob remembers very well.
At the time, Curry was coming off an injury-laden season, one that saw him play in only 26 games after multiple trips to the sidelines due to his chronic ankle problems. Yet despite having seen much better days since, Lacob still remembers the trepidation that came from doling out that next contract:
“Believe me, I remember,” Lacob told Tim Kawakami of The Athletic. “And everyone says, well, we got a great deal. And we did, in retrospect. But at the time, there was a lot of risk on both sides, actually. I think you would agree. I think it was four for 44. And it seemed like it was a fair deal at the time, to me. I didn’t feel like we were stealing anything, by any means.
“Turned out to be a tremendous deal for the franchise. He did turn the corner and became the player we now have seen. Obviously incredible.”
Four years and $44 million was a step down from what then-New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans guard Eric Gordon had been offered — four years and $58 million. The compromise was dependent on Curry's health, but offered fair incentives for both parties.
However, Stephen Curry would go on to outplay his contract, getting two MVPs and two championship rings by the time it expired in 2017. this ultimately set him up to become the first player signed under the supermax provision, which paid him $201 million over the next five years — fairly compensating him for his past efforts.
