Why Arenas thinks Steph’s ‘bad’ contract built the Warriors dynasty originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Superstars are the driving force behind NBA dynasties, but one player-turned-expert believes Steph Curry’s second NBA contract is the key to the warrior dynasty.
Former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas explained on his “Gils Arena Show” how the four-year, $44 million contract Curry signed in 2013 set Golden State up for a decade of success.
“Dynasties are built on bad contracts,” Arenas said. “If I can get one of you to sign a bad deal, it helps my franchise grow. Like in New York, what (Jalen) Brunson did. It’s considered a bad deal . This will help them in the future because they have so much money saved. When Steph won a championship, was he the third highest paid player on the team?
“I got you for four years, $44 million. If you become a two-time All-Star, two-time MVP, cool. When the four years are up, I can make you a higher offer. But for now , I have you for pennies on the dollar And over the next four years I can continue to add players.
Arenas further clarified his position amid some confusion with his co-hosts, explaining how Curry’s below-market deal gave the Warriors significant financial flexibility to build a juggernaut who made five consecutive appearances in the NBA Finals.
“Steph Curry signed a bad deal, which created a dynasty,” Arenas said. “If Steph Curry had been Steph Curry earlier, he would have signed a rookie max, which would have handicapped them on the backend. But because he signed a bad deal early, it created a backend dynasty.”
Curry signed the friendly agreement with the team after ankle injuries forced him to miss a large portion of games during his first three NBA seasons. The additional salary cap space allowed the Warriors to sign Andre Iguodala, who proved to be an invaluable asset during Golden State’s dynastic run.
The Warriors won their first NBA title in the second year of Curry’s contract, and they made three total Finals appearances and won two during the four years of the contract.
The Curry deal undoubtedly helped Golden State build an incredible roster, but whether or not she was the driving force behind that success remains a subjective opinion.
