Why Arenas believes 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-pundit believes Steph Curry’s second contract in the NBA 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 made from bad contracts,” Arenas said. “If I can get one of you stupid people to sign a bad deal, it will help my franchise build. Like in New York, what (Jalen) Brunson did. That’s considered a bad deal. That will help you in the future. because they have so much money saved. When Steph won a championship, he was 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, great. When the four years come, I can make you a higher offer. But right now, I have for pennies on the dollar and in the next four years, I can continue to add players.
Arenas further clarified his stance amid some confusion with his co-hosts, stating how Curry’s below-market deal gave the Warriors significant financial flexibility to build a giant who made five consecutive appearances in the NBA Finals.
“Steph Curry signed a bad deal, which created a dynasty,” Arenas said. “If Steph Curry was Steph Curry before, he would have signed a rookie max, which would have hurt them on the backend. But because he signed a bad deal early on, he created a backend dynasty.”
Curry signed the friendly agreement with the team after ankle injuries forced him to miss a large number of games during his first three NBA seasons. The additional 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, made three Finals appearances and won two during the four years of the contract.
The Curry deal certainly helped Golden State’s ability to build an incredible roster, but whether or not it served as the driving force behind that success remains a subjective opinion.