“I can’t accept $48.07 million” Stephen Curry is expected to leave Warriors before his contract expires

Thompson: Stephen Curry only wants to play for Steve Kerr — now it all aligns

SAN FRANCISCO — Stephen Curry hadn’t yet talked to his coach about his reported contract extension. He was just peeling off the uniform after the Golden State Warriors and visiting Charlotte Hornets tumbled down a flight of stairs together Friday night, the Warriors landing on top, 97-84. When solicited for his thoughts on Steve Kerr’s new two-year, $35 million deal, Curry had the same thought everyone else did.

“That’s the same (years) as my contract,” Curry said, smiling as he stepped into his shower slides. “I just realized it.”

The $17.5 million wasn’t the number that popped in Kerr’s new deal, even though it almost doubles his presumed current salary and makes him the highest-paid coach in the league based on average salary. The significant number was the “2.” As in two years. Because it points to No. 30.

NBA coaches, who are hired to be fired, don’t take short deals. For one, they usually need time to build the program. But also, the one perk of their inevitable ouster is they still get paid. But Kerr’s extension expires the same year Curry’s current four-year, $215.3 million contract expires — after the 2025-26 season.

“If I was him, I would do the same thing,” Kevon Looney said. “He probably got that from (Gregg) Popovich.”

This was good news for Curry, the Warriors’ face-of-the-franchise, who won’t have to worry about getting another coach foisted on him. Because he certainly doesn’t want another.

“Hell no,” Curry said.

So much of the talk about a coach focuses on rotations and strategy. Those are the visible components of the job. But the invisible parts tend to matter at least as much, often far more. None of what happens between the lines is relevant if the foundation of the team is shoddy. Coaching players of this caliber, especially in the social-media age, comes with the added difficulty of managing basketball players who are also moguls and brands, celebrities with complicated lives. Over the last decade, the Warriors have seen the invisible impact the visible. In both good and bad ways.

No one expected the Warriors would let go of Kerr, who entered this season on the final year of his contract. But the possibility loomed, especially considering the team’s earlier struggles this season. But the Warriors have leaned into the Curry era by trading future core pieces in James Wiseman and Jordan Poole, by re-signing Draymond Green, by acquiring Chris Paul and by drafting ready-to-play rookies. Klay Thompson could get a new deal this offseason to stay with Golden State.

The Warriors are committed to pursuing a championship while Curry is still dominant. And they want to do it together. Led by Kerr.