Curry's Money Question Is Closed. The Roster Question Isn't.
Curry's extension answers what he's owed; it does nothing to change who's healthy enough to use it this fall.
The Warriors closed the two-year extension Stephen Curry had been weighing, ending days of conflicting reports. That does not fix availability: last season's most efficient five-man group needed Jimmy Butler, the next-most efficient needed him and Moses Moody too, and neither player is expected back before December.
What Closed This Week
Anthony Slater reported on September 23 that no extension decision had been made. Two days later, HoopsRumors said Curry and the Warriors had finalized a two-year deal. ESPN, also citing Slater, put the number at $116 million over two seasons, and Dalton Johnson reported that figure sits about $20 million under the $136.7 million max Curry could have commanded.
The Lineup the Money Was Supposed to Protect
Golden State's best five-man group last season - Curry, Butler, Green, Kuminga and Podziemski - outscored teams by 16.9 points per 100 possessions across eight games. The next-most efficient five, swapping in Moody and Post for Kuminga and Curry, still ran at plus-2.3 over 64 minutes. Both groups need Butler. One needs Moody too. Neither is on the floor right now.
The Calendar Says December
Moody and Butler are each projected to return around December 1, well after Golden State opens the regular season October 21 at the Lakers on ESPN. Preseason starts October 4 at the Clippers, with home games against the Lakers on October 6 and the Kings on October 10 sandwiched around a stop in Portland on October 7.
What's Still Unsettled
What hasn't closed is the detail: no salary or option breakdown has surfaced beyond outlet reporting, and Golden State's own record of the move stops at the headline. Until Moody and Butler clear their injuries, the group the extension was meant to keep together barely exists on the floor.
When is Jimmy Butler expected back for the Warriors?
Butler is dealing with a knee injury and isn't expected back until around December 1, after Golden State's October 21 season opener at the Lakers.
How much is Stephen Curry's contract extension worth?
ESPN reported the two-year deal is worth $116 million, about $20 million below the max Curry was eligible for, according to Dalton Johnson.
