The Golden State Warriors were already set to have ample cap flexibility next offseason with both Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green's contracts set to expire.
But Curry granted the organization another major gift over the weekend, taking rougly $10 million less on the first year of his new, two-year deal than he was eligible for. That either gives the Warriors room to take on a major trade asset at some point this season using their expiring deals, or (if they so wish) they can carry that cap space over into the offseason to make a run at being a major player in free agency.
Depending on how Brandin Podziemski's extension unfolds—he'll have a $17 million cap hold next offseason if the Warriors don't get a deal done before he hits restricted free agency—Golden State could easily have upwards of $77.5 million in cap space if they were to renounce all their free agent rights.
A max contract for 2027-28 is projected to come in around $61.6 million.
It's too soon to tell who will truly be available or what type of moves the Warriors will look to make. But one thing is clear—Curry's contract decision gives them a chance to re-shape this roster with a major move. Whether that comes in the form of a star or a helpful rotational player, it's worthwhile to start thinking about the additions Golden State could make between now and the end of next offseason.
Potential Warriors targets now that their future cap flexibility has been maximized
1. Aaron Gordon, Denver Nuggets
For now, we're going to leave potential max contract stars (like Nikola Jokic) off the table. It feels likely that those sorts of players will extend with their respective teams prior to ever truly hitting the trade market, and it feels wiser to focus on more realistic potential targets in the short-term.
The Denver Nuggets, on that note, likely need to shed salary somewhere if they're going to field a contending roster around Jokic again. Gordon has two years left on his deal at $34.5 million and $37 million, respectively, before a player option kicks in for the 2028-29 season. Gordon likely wouldn't be the Nuggets' first choice to move on from, but the Warriors could certainly benefit from his active, rebounding and defending skill set if they're planning on moving on from Butler.
Combining Porzingis' and Moody's deals would be enough to get the Warriors there on a trade for Gordon this season, and Denver could benefit pretty immediately in a financial sense by letting Porzingis walk in the offseason. Gordon may not be the ultimate answer here, but Denver is certainly a team to watch in terms of trade targets for Golden State.
2. Dejounte Murray, New Orleans Pelicans
If you can't tell, we're going in descending order of potential trade importance here. Murray played just 14 games last season as he returned from the Achilles injury he suffered in 2024-25, and although he looked solid in that short stint, it's going to take a sustained stretch of health and production for him to be a real trade candidate for any team by the time the deadline rolls around.
But at his best, he's the type of two-way guard the Warriors would love to pair with Curry in the backcourt, and he could also function as a true second or third offensive option if Butler is off the roster.
Green's contract this upcoming season would be almost enough for the Warriors to swing a trade for Murray, but he also has a player option next offseason that could make him a real free agency option if Golden State carries their cap space into the summer months.
3. Ty Jerome, Memphis Grizzlies
This is, again, a minor move compared to what a trade for either Gordon or Murray could look like. But if Golden State doesn't ultimately add a player on a max contract, they may look to fill out the roster instead with a bevy of viable contributors. Jerome has a player option next offseason on his remaining $9.7 million with the Memphis Grizzlies, and he may be looking to enter free agency assuming he isn't moved at the deadline in a roster cut-down maneuver.
If he hits free agency, Jerome is the type of scoring and floor spacing forward the Warriors could use on this roster, and he would be a relatively easy fit into Golden State's cap space if things progress that far. Jerome is only one of a number of players the Warriors should be monitoring in terms of their free-agent status for next offseason, but it seems very possible that he's available either at the trade deadline or on the open market in the near future.
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