Stephen Curry could be involved in the NBA well after his eventual retirement, as the Golden State Warriors superstar laid out plans to transition from his playing role to an executive position down the line. Curry, who is under contract with the Warriors through the 2026-27 season, said he aims to follow in Michael Jordan’s footsteps and dive into the team ownership realm after he hangs up his sneakers and concludes his transcendent playing career.
Jordan is the only former NBA player ever to hold a majority stake in one of the league’s franchises. The six-time champion owned the Charlotte Hornets for 13 years before he sold the team in 2023 and moved into a minority ownership position.
“He might be the only one in our generation who has sat in that seat and done it that way,” Curry said to CNBC. “The idea of being a part of an ownership group and the right opportunity that allows me to have an impact on how a franchise should be operated — how you’re going after true winning, like we’ve done here with the Warriors — that’s something I’m excited about pursuing. It’s interesting. Obviously, as an active player, you can’t participate in that level until you’re done. So you’ll see me in the seat somewhere down the road.”
NBA teams come with hefty price tags. According to Forbes’ franchise valuations, the Warriors are the most valuable team in the league at an estimated $8.8 billion. The Memphis Grizzlies stand at the bottom of the list at $3 billion.
Two franchises hit the market this spring. The Boston Celtics‘ ownership group announced in March that it agreed to sell the team to Bill Chisholm for a North American professional sports record $6.1 billion. The Portland Trail Blazers are also in the early stages of their sale. Late owner Paul Allen died in 2018 and in his will directed his estate to sell the team.
It is not yet clear whether Curry would pursue a majority ownership stake in a franchise or take on a minority investment.
“Obviously there are levels to this,” Curry said.
As a four-time league champion and two-time NBA MVP, Curry flourished as one of the faces of the sport over the last decade and a half. The entirety of Curry’s outstanding career has been with the Warriors, with whom he set numerous game, season and career records. He is the NBA’s all-time 3-point leader and changed the game with his long-range acumen.
Curry, per Spotrac, racked up over $410 million in career earnings through the 2024-25 season and is set to earn his largest annual salaries to date over the final two years of his contract. Curry will haul in just shy of $60 million next season and make over $62 million in his age-38 campaign.
