GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 28, 2026

Stephen Curry

Media Conference

Q. What was your thought process to get where you ended up?

STEPHEN CURRY: It was a very kind of thoughtful journey, partnership of putting all the different scenarios out there. It was of interest of making sure I was here, figuring out what was in the best setup for me, for the team, for the now, for the flexibility the rest of my career.

So trying to balance all of that, it was such a unique situation with all the circumstances of, again, where we've been the last four years, what's currently on the table, and where we're trying to go to be competitive and give ourselves a chance.

It got to a point where it all I think made sense for both sides for me clarity of mind the next two, three years, and then with some optionality on, trying to put us in a position to have room and to be able to make moves if we need, but also just let this team just play and hoop and get rid of distractions as well. I think there's no real clear way. It gives me peace of mind to go play basketball and enjoy what I'm doing.

Q. Steph, you obviously took I think $10 million less in the first year of the deal than the maximum. What were the conversations there? Was the maximum offer presented to you, and what made you feel comfortable with taking less?

STEPHEN CURRY: Without knowing the answers to the test, it was my best way to study for it, if that makes sense. Again, it's about for us to have a chance this season as we get started tomorrow to play basketball and hoop. We all have to do our jobs to win. We all know that, myself included. I've got to be healthy and available.

Then you kind of get to different milestones throughout the year and allow ourselves to have, again, optionality as best you can, without knowing what that really means.

Yes, I was presented the max. Yes, there was everything on the table and everything that you probably heard is somewhat accurate. For me it was just processing all of that to get to a decision that was right for me and right for the team.

Q. The one-plus-one structure as well, did you feel like there was a balance and flexibility for yourself and for the team that you kind of wanted to strike there just in the extension itself?

STEPHEN CURRY: I think we're all smart people in this room, so you can kind of read the tea leaves on why it's designed the way that it is for sure.

Q. You've kind of mentioned the word optionality almost even joking about the buzzword nature of it, but how do you view what you guys can do organizationally over the next whatever year or so? Do you have optimism about that?

STEPHEN CURRY: I think, again, how unique the situation is for me, what I wanted to control was to be able to just go play basketball and try to win. Then as you go through that, every step is information gathered and learned and able to influence what decisions you need to make moving forward.

I'm not fast-forwarding to February. I'm not fast-forwarding to the next offseason, none of that. It's start game 1, try to win. If we're competitive and doing what we're supposed to do, then that's information learned on how we need to get better to try to compete at the highest level.

If it's the alternative, then you make decisions based off of that too. I think for me it's how I've approached every opportunity in my career. You can't fast-forward your mind, or else you're not going to be to do your job as a player to try to win, and that's why I'm in this position right now. Then hopefully that continues as the goal is to be competitive. We know that. For me to have clarity of mind on what that means was a big part of the decision.

Q. Steph, Steve Kerr said that they're reimaging how guys are going to play basketball, how things are going to work. For you, what are some of the differences that are going to take place compared to last year and years previous?

STEPHEN CURRY: Honestly, I have some ideas, but I think it's hard to say that on media day. I think we have to get into practice and really talk about it, kind of see what we have on the floor, experiment a little bit. I'm sure I'll talk about it plenty over the next three weeks before we get out there for game 1.

But embracing the challenge of doing exactly what Coach said is what the theme of this training camp really is. Going back to last year, talking about obviously championship mentality is always a part of who you are, but not putting that type of pressure on ourselves on Day 1. Let's figure out what good basketball looks like for this team, and we'll figure that out as we go.

Q. Sounded like turnovers was going to be a big emphasis this year. Just how difficult is it going to be, or what are the challenges of maybe changing habits so late in your career?

STEPHEN CURRY: That's not going to be hard because I'm still going to turn the ball over, and it's not like -- it's been pretty consistent my whole career minus, like, one blip where I had four or more. The rest of it is mindfulness of the type and just the collective kind of emphasis and discipline on having good possessions, unforced errors, and those morale killers that you go on a run, you try Hail Mary, 90-foot pass. Those I can put my hand up and say, yeah, that's probably something you got to be extremely mindful of, but the rest of it, how I play and the way that I see the game, I don't think much of that is going to change.

But I want to be coached the same way you coach all 17, however many guys, we have on our roster. That's a big part of it too.

Q. Two questions for you. You clearly were suffering through anguish on deciding whether you wanted to stay or not. Felt like it was a difficult decision for you. What makes it so important to stay here? Why is that so important to you to finish your career with the Warriors?

STEPHEN CURRY: This is home. This is what we've built. This is a community that I've played in front of my entire career, and being able to finish the story the right way is a big part of I think what I can control thankfully and hopefully health-wise as well.

I know the short list of guys that have been able to do it, but reimaging what that looks like with the level that I feel like I can play at down the stretch of my career and being open to even what this training camp looks like of different ways to approach the game to, you know, sustain it as long as I can.

There's a pride of representing the Bay, representing this franchise that when I step foot here in '09 and what we've all been able to accomplish -- this isn't just a me thing, this is a we -- I want to do right by that.

It's always been an importance for me, and going into this contract decision that was front of mind, for sure.

Q. You've spent the last few years, you know, privately trying to get players to come here. What's that been like for you just that whole process? We remember when it was, like, you were running to hotels to talk to Dwight Howard and all kind of crazy stuff.

STEPHEN CURRY: You have a long memory (smiling).

Q. What is that like recruiting players, and how do you think -- how does it feel when you do all that and they don't end up coming?

STEPHEN CURRY: Same way when you pull up to shoot a shot and you miss. I had the confidence that, you know, you are representing what it would look like for said player, whoever it is, to come join our team, and those are very selective opportunities based on what the situation is.

Any competitive franchise that has the opportunity to showcase what we're about and the brand of the Warriors and what it looks like, that's all you speak on, and it's pretty easy because it's just telling truth and being authentic about what my experience has been like here and the optimism of us being able to win.

But, you know, it's kind of a privilege to be able to be in that situation where you can pick up the phone and know somebody is going to answer. Hey, whatever the conversation is, but if it doesn't happen, it doesn't change your vibe at all. It's part of the business.

Q. Steph, Moses and Jimmy will be back starting some on-court light work this week it sounds like. How much lift will that give you guys, and are you allowing yourself to kind of think of that full squad together healthy yet, or is it too soon?

STEPHEN CURRY: They're a part of our squad, and their energy is going to be key for us even until they get back on the court. You can't let your mind go too much down the road. I don't know how many games will be under our belt before they each come back, and we have a job to do to hopefully make their return relevant and meaningful in the sense that the team that they're coming back to.

That's as far as you really can kind of take it. We love having them around. It's great to have everybody together last week and that vibe will hopefully carry over to confidence and some good basketball early in the season. What it looks like when they come back and them talking about, you know, their own returns, we'll get to that for sure, but I know they're working hard behind the scenes to get ready, and we appreciate that.

Q. Moses said from the moment he went down with the injury, he said, okay, I can turn this into a good thing. I mean, even when he was on the ground there, he said, okay, I'll turn this into a good thing. What does that say about his positivity, his maturity, his perspective to be able to do that in a devastating moment?

STEPHEN CURRY: He's always been wise beyond his years and understood the blessing of being able to play basketball at this level. We had that conversation last week specific to that point. He said the exact same line to me. That's not just physically the things that he's been going to be doing to recreate the foundation of his body, but that's just mentally and spiritually of how he is spending his time and how he's getting through the rehab process.

When basketball is taken away, you realize you're not just a hooper. You have a lot more value to provide people around you and interests that you might have and all that type of stuff. He's leaning into all that.

It's been awesome to watch him, and it will give him juice and gratitude when he does come back because, you know, I know he loves to play basketball.

Q. Like you said, taking less than the max is you studying for a test you don't know the questions yet. That's probable partly what's available out there. They're showing you scenarios. This could get you this or whatever else that they can possibly say. But with some of that, Steph, in your motivation was, okay, maybe also more money to keep some of the guys who are currently on the roster? Obviously Draymond is the one who kind of stands out. In your mind is it, okay, if it comes down to it, this is some money you can devote over there?

STEPHEN CURRY: For sure, and all the different scenarios that it would be used for. I know that there's -- the either/or at the beginning is what does a max contract look like on the sheet going into next season. That's the immediate impact, and then you kind of assess that. Again, it's something that is talked about. We discussed it ad nauseam over the last five months, and whatever it looks like in terms of what Mike is going to do to get our team in the right spot.

Again, all the information that we're going to learn over the course of the year, all that stuff goes into trying to have as much flexibility as possible while still making sure the deal was right for me too. So tried to approach it that way.

Q. On a recent trip to China, what surprised you the most about fans? Is there any moment you still remember?

STEPHEN CURRY: How much they love Jimmy Butler. I was following his wake this year with the team he's been with for the last five years going over there, it was awesome.

I enjoyed my tours over there. So much passion for the game of basketball, for our team, for myself. It gives you good juice coming back into the year because you understand how big the audience is around the world that appreciate what you do on the court and them being a part of the journey for sure.

Q. How is your knee feeling, and how do you imagine managing that this season? You said in Phoenix that you figured lots of golf would help, and did it?

STEPHEN CURRY: It definitely did, as you can see by my tan lines. Knee is feeling great, ready to go. No issues at all. There is a management element of it for sure where you just have to be mindful of everything that you're doing in practice, games, preparation. We haven't talked about the game schedule yet or anything like that where I'm kind of getting too far ahead of myself, but for training camp and the preseason schedule and getting myself into shape and ready to go, there's no limitations at all.

So I'm excited to get out there and hoop. I feel like I've built a really good foundation over the summer to be in a much better position up until, what, November last year, it wasn't really any kind of signs or symptoms, but I feel a lot stronger and more understanding of what I'm dealing with. That gives me a lot of confidence going into the year.

Q. Steve had told us over here that he had told you and Draymond he used to tell the team that you and Draymond are allowed to turn the ball over and the rest of the guys are not allowed to turn the ball over. He told us that he had a conversation with you and Draymond, hey, I'm not doing that anymore, you guys can't. What was that conversation like? Is that part of sort of shift of reimaging things for you guys?

STEPHEN CURRY: Yeah, it is. I'm sure Draymond would probably say it used to be real awkward being in film, and it would be one of them wild turnovers, and they would skip it real fast and then bring up another one that was a little bit more legit and talk about that one. That sound byte would come up and me and him just sitting in front of the film session like, is everybody else all right with this?

But we understood what he meant by it. We have a certain style that we've built over a long period of time that the chaos also creates beautiful basketball and a chemistry that has produced a lot on the court. When the numbers stop adding up in terms of the three, four turnovers each and the points per possessions and all the things that you talk about as a coach, of course, you have to reimagine what that looks like and be honest about expectations.

To the point, I've never been sensitive about being coached. If you want to yell at me because I'm turning it over, go ahead. I'm sure that keeps everybody on alert. I'm prepared for that this year, for sure.

Q. Steve was saying that he kind of likes that no one expects you guys to make the playoffs and that there's a little bit of freedom to flying under the radar.

STEPHEN CURRY: That's how bad it is? To make the playoffs? It went from championship to --

Q. I'm just wondering what you think about that? Do you feel the freedom?

STEPHEN CURRY: That's what I think about that. Damn.