Looking at Steph Curry’s contract
Steph Curry may have been pipped by LeBron James in this year’s NBA Finals but everything that happened before – and after – that thrilling seven-game series reflects his status in the world of basketball.
Curry claimed his second consecutive league MVP after leading the Warriors to an NBA record 73 wins in the regular season. He broke his own mark for three-pointers in a season – a feat that was recognised at the ESPYs where he won the best record-breaking performance award. He was also named “Clutch Player of the Year” at Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Sports Awards earlier this month.
There’s no doubt Curry is one of the very best basketball players in the world, but when you consider what he’ll paid by Golden State to play next season it doesn’t seem that way.
A new TV deal saw the NBA’s salary cap increase significantly for next year, resulting in a swag of big money deals handed out over the American summer.
It’s left players like Curry – who is entering the final year of a four-year contract signed with the Warriors in 2013 – staring up at players that aren’t fit to tie his shoelaces.
Curry’s current deal has looked like a bargain for years (he accepted less than he was worth at the time after battling injuries early in his career) but now it looks like highway robbery.
The league’s leading scorer will earn just over $12 million next season making him the 79th highest paid player in the NBA – and he’ll drop further down the list when players like LeBron James sign new deals in the coming weeks.
Consider some of the ballers who will earn far more than the three-point machine – who averaged 30.1 points, 6.7 assists and 5.4 rebounds last season – in 2016-17:
Portland shooting guard Allen Crabbe averaged 10.3 points per game last season. He’ll be paid $18.5 million by the Trail Blazers.
Big men Enes Kanter (Thunder) and Timofey Mozgov (Cav turned Laker) barely made it on the floor during the pointy end of the play-offs. They’re on the books for $17.1 million and $15 million, respectively.
Milwaukee’s John Henson scored just seven points in 17 minutes per game last season. He’ll still make more than Curry.
But the Splash Brother isn’t alone in being underpaid. The timing of contracts is everything in the NBA and some of Curry’s rivals were unfortunate to sign theirs a while ago too.
Curry’s teammate Draymond Green is somewhat of a steal at $15.3 million, Toronto leader Kyle Lowry is ranked way down at No. 82 at $12 million and the likes of Russell Westbrook ($17.8 million) and Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving (both $17.6 million) are outperforming their salaries.
Of course Curry’s place in the pecking order will change quickly when he signs a new contract with the Warriors next season. The nimble point guard is expected to a sign a maximum five-year deal in the range of $35-40 million per season – immediately elevating him to the top of the list below.
Kiwi Steven Adams is ranked 245th on the list of more than 450 players. The Thunder centre will be paid $3,140,517 next season, that’s less than eight of his teammates.
Category: Basketball
