The Golden State Warriors are coming off a disappointing offseason in which they failed to make significant improvements to the roster. It has been a frustrating summer for Golden State, as the organization has missed out on several of its top targets.

Their franchise player, Steph Curry, is nearing a contract extension. However, the expectation is that the Warriors will give him whatever he wants when it comes to his next deal.

“It’s not whether or not Steve is going to sign. It’s what’s on the plate. Just to give you guys some insight when you’re over the age of 38 in the NBA you can only sign for a maximum of three years. This is an old rule from the ‘90s. And it’s used to be over 36, but when Chris Paul and LeBron James were running the players association, they were getting close to their late 30’s they pushed it to 38. Curry makes $62 million this year, so he can add 2 years onto it. Or he can do a 1 year max or just wait. The warriors are putting the decision in Steph’s hands. There is no negotiation,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst stated.

It has also been revealed that Curry is dealing with a lingering knee issue from last season, which has created some concern surrounding the four-time NBA champion.

However, Curry is still expected to play in most games this season. With Golden State not expected to be a serious championship contender, Blue Man Hoops’ Peter O’Keefe has warned the Warriors to consider taking a “gap year” rather than risking a serious injury to their franchise player.

“This ‘gap year’ would suggest Golden State need to take a longer term outlook with Curry. Why take too much risk with your franchise player if you’re only going to be a Play-In Tournament team at best anyway? The problem with that is it runs completely counter-intuitive to the fact Curry is 38-years-old, leaving even greater intrigue on how the Warriors approach this season and how they look to manage the 12x All-Star as it progresses,” O’Keefe wrote.

It would be a reasonable precaution for the Warriors, as they simply cannot afford to lose their franchise player during a season in which they are not expected to seriously compete for a championship. However, Curry is unlikely to take that approach.

The former MVP is expected to play whenever he is healthy, and there likely will not be any major restrictions placed on him unless his knee becomes an issue again. A gap year could happen for Golden State in terms of its championship aspirations, but there is little reason to believe Curry will willingly stay off the court.

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