“It’s what you’ve got and how you take care of it. And if I’m complaining about $44 million over four years, then I’ve got other issues in my life.” By making this statement, no one could deny that Stephen Curry was more than content with the one-year, $62.6 million contract he signed with the Warriors two weeks ago. After all, what better way to highlight your status than to become the first American athlete to earn $60 million in a single season? At 36, Curry may be approaching the later stages of his playing career. In this context, the deal ensures that his future is secure, even if he decides to retire early. Signing such a deal was a smart move. However, it also gave an unspecified advantage to his franchise.

Along with The Athletic reporter Anthony Slater, podcaster Nate Duncan talked about Steph’s extension deal. Slater noted that Steph will be 38 by the time the terms of the new contract end. He called the deal a ‘smart business’ move. At the same time, however, he also added “It strips a little bit of leverage from him (Steph) as you go to the deadline. The truth is, if Steph Curry was ever gonna play a real ‘strong-arm’ leverage game to try of, kind of, force them to like add an extra pick at the deadline, or else he was gonna threaten to leave a franchise.” With Steph having devoted the entirety of his NBA career to the Warriors, his leaving at this stage would be rather unlikely. However, prevention is better than cure. With all choices removed, Slater believes that “the Warriors are willing to give him like these Kobe-Bryant type late career deals.”

The late Kobe Bryant was amongst the few NBA players who devoted his entire career to a single franchise. The Los Angeles Lakers, in turn, kept rewarding their star player for this loyalty. The final contract that the player inked was a whopping 2-year, $48 million extension. He did so when he was around the same age as Steph. The Black Mamba threatened to leave the franchise for the Memphis Grizzles if some changes weren’t made to the roster back in 2004. Therefore, by offering him a high-paying deal even in the last years of his career, the team ensured that the player stayed.

Giving a two-year extension instead of one proved harmful to the Lakers’ management. Kobe’s continuous injuries led to some less effective performances. As a result, he decided to retire in 2016, once his contract ended. History can repeat itself with Steph. Therefore, it appears that Joe Lacob and the Warriors’ management offered a good contract to Steph.

“There is a chance that Steph Curry falls off to a significant enough degree that 2-3 seasons from now, it’s very good for him that he decided to take this money” Slater continued. However, Nate Duncan highlighted that “He’s (Steph) not gonna be on the level where Kobe was, or he’s actually hurting.” Furthermore, the free-agent prospects of today are much better than they were a decade ago. This means that Joe Lacob anyways wouldn’t be caught in a situation like the Lakers were with Kobe.

Even if the Warriors wanted, they couldn’t give Curry an extension deal like before. The Over 38 rule in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) limits franchises. They can’t give contracts longer than four years to athletes aged 38 or above. If he had wanted to, the four-time champion could have negotiated for two-year deals instead. However, Curry currently considers other priorities more important.

“You’re fully there” – Stephen Curry was about getting the extension settled

Limited time means limited opportunities for Stephen Curry to expand on his stellar legacy. The player has already set himself as the all-time leader in three-pointers. He has four NBA championships and two MVP titles. Furthermore, he even recently added an Olympic gold medal to his list of achievements. However, as recently highlighted by Jeff Teague, winning another championship will silence all doubters. “He get another ring, he definitely up there with Kobe.” With the extension question out of the way, Steph can now focus on making that final push.

“It’s not different from my perspective,” the 36-year-old said when asked about that final push. “You have an appreciation for the position and the opportunity and the support from people who’ve been with you on the journey. I’ve always said I wanted to play for one team my whole career. So, it’s good to get (the extension) question out of the way and give complete focus to basketball and to the season.” When further discussing his extension, the player added “It’s still about winning, and taking the steps necessary to give ourselves a chance. The standard hasn’t changed. The expectation hasn’t changed.”

Kobe Bryant’s prowess was diminished a bit during his final years due to injuries. However, no one focuses on that. People remember the player’s overall legacy. A fifth ring would ensure the same for Stephen Curry.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.