Back when Stephen Curry, his agent, and the Golden State Warriors were figuring out the extension after his rookie contract, the situation was complicated. He had some serious ankle injuries that required multiple operations and very real doubt that he could ever maximize his potential. They ended up agreeing to a four-year, $44 million extension, which in hindsight seems comical for Curry and extremely savvy for the Warriors. Since then, he's won two MVP awards (one was the first unanimous MVP in league history) and is one win away from back-to-back titles.
It's one of the biggest bargain in sports and it leads to a lot of quirky comparisons when it comes to his salary vs. other players (even on his team) and even things outside of the world of sports. Take for example the mega hit series from HBO "Game of Thrones." Its latest episode, which happens to be airing during Game 7 of the NBA Finals Sunday night, features the battle of all battles. To pay for all of the extras, crew members, set pieces, horses, and time to film it cost over $10 million. This season, Curry makes $11.3 million. That's one GoT episode for the price of a unanimous MVP performance.
From CBS Sports' Sean Wagner-McGough:
Consider how much work went into the making of the episode. As Entertainment Weekly reported, the episode required 600 crew members, 500 extras, 160 tons of gravel, 70 horses, 25 stuntmen and women, 25 days of filming, four camera crews, and at least $10 million.
Steph Curry averages $11 million per season on his current contract. So, HBO spent roughly one Steph season on one episode of television.
I wouldn't worry about Curry financially. He's turned Under Armour into a major player in the basketball shoe industry and he's got some stock options in the company. So he's going to end up doing just fine. Not to mention, when he becomes a free agent in 2017, Curry will be eligible for a max contract starting around $32 million or 30 percent of the salary cap in 2017. He'll start making up for those years of earning as much as a gigantic "Game of Thrones" episode.
Winter is coming for the Warriors' next salary obligations for keeping Curry, but we have a feeling they won't mind paying it.