In 2016, Stephen Curry was willing to share the spotlight with another MVP. The Golden State Warriors had already built a championship team, but Curry and his teammates still made the trip to the Hamptons to help bring Kevin Durant to the Bay Area. That partnership delivered two championships in three seasons.

Ten years later, Curry is making another sacrifice to keep that championship window open. The 38-year-old recently agreed to a two-year, $116 million extension, taking roughly $20 million less than the maximum he could have earned. His decision gives Golden State greater financial flexibility as it prepares for another major move.

And the player the Warriors could be watching most closely is none other than three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. NBA insider Jake Fischer has revealed that Golden State is keeping an eye on the Denver Nuggets superstar’s contract situation, hoping an opportunity could emerge next summer.

Why Golden State believes it can land another superstar

Fischer revealed that the Warriors are already thinking about the possibility of Jokic becoming available, even though there is no indication that Denver is prepared to part ways with him.

“The Warriors are one of those teams out there that are like looking around and rubbing their fingers together and thinking, ‘Are we sure Jokic isn’t going to become available next summer?'” said Fischer on SiriusXM NBA Radio.

“Like they are, one of those teams that hopes ‘we could have max cap space. We’ve got Steph Curry.'”

Fischer also revealed that the Warriors have not lost their belief in their ability to attract the biggest names in basketball. Their previous attempts to land Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant may not have worked, but the franchise still sees itself as a destination.

“And as I wrote in that story yesterday, the Warriors, there was a quote from someone who’s around the building and knows the building says the ‘Warriors still believe that they are a destination.'”

“So they didn’t get Giannis. Kevin Durant didn’t want to go back there a couple of trade deadlines ago, but they believe that just like Jimmy ended up being the guy who did come, even though he got hurt, it was working pretty well before he went down.”

“They still think that they will be able to attract, whether it be a trade or on the open market, someone big next summer,” Fischer added.

That confidence is not entirely without reason. Curry has already shown what he can offer a superstar considering a move to Golden State. When the Warriors recruited Durant in 2016, Draymond Green recalled Curry telling the former MVP, “I’m not worried about being the face of the team. We want you here with us.”

Durant joined Golden State that summer, and the Warriors won championships in 2017 and 2018. Curry’s willingness to share the spotlight helped create one of the most dominant partnerships the league has seen, and his latest contract decision shows that winning remains his priority.

Curry’s pay cut could open the door to a blockbuster

Golden State’s financial planning makes the 2027 offseason particularly interesting. Curry agreed to a two-year, $116 million extension, despite being eligible for approximately $136 million. That leaves roughly $20 million on the table and gives the Warriors more room to improve their roster.

Curry explained his decision at media day, saying, “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 is such a unique situation with all of the circumstances of 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.”

General manager Mike Dunleavy also explained why Curry’s decision mattered to the organization. “He wants to win. He’s put us in a position where it gives us a little bit more flexibility to do that.”

The Warriors could have substantial cap flexibility in 2027, with estimates from cap expert Bobby Marks placing their potential space between $45 million and $60 million. However, the final figure will depend on contracts, options and cap holds.

Jokic’s situation makes that planning even more interesting. The Serbian center has a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28, which gives him a choice before entering free agency. Declining it would allow him to test the market or negotiate a new deal with Denver.

But the financial difference is enormous. Jokic could sign a four-year extension worth approximately $278 million under his current agreement, while waiting until 2027 could make him eligible for a five-year contract worth as much as $359.5 million.

That is roughly $81.5 million more. It also means Golden State would need to find a way to compete with the financial offer Denver can put on the table, while making its own basketball proposition attractive enough to tempt a generational talent.

The Nuggets have a very different message for Jokic

There is, however, one major obstacle to Golden State’s ambitions. Jokic has repeatedly made it clear that his preference is to remain in Denver, and his decision to delay signing an extension should not be mistaken for a desire to leave.

In July 2026, Jokic addressed the contract situation after playing for Serbia in a FIBA World Cup qualifying game. He made his intentions clear when asked about his future with the Nuggets.

“My idea is to sign next summer and stay with Denver for the rest of my career. My idea and desire is to stay in Denver. I’ll probably sign next year … My desire is to play the rest of my life in Denver,” Jokic told reporters.

He repeated that commitment at Denver’s media day on September 28, although he added a playful qualification when discussing his plans.

“I’m going to sign next year,” Jokic said. “If they want me.”

The three-time MVP also explained that he had already communicated his intentions to the people running the franchise. He said, “I talked to Ben. I talked to Jon. I talked to Josh. They know my opinion, and I was being more than open about it. Hopefully, they trust me.”

Jokic’s attachment to Denver goes beyond the contract. He arrived as the 41st pick in the 2014 NBA Draft and helped the franchise win its first championship in 2023. For him, staying with the team that developed him is also about the legacy he wants to leave.

“I was here when we basically were a so-so team and we won a championship, and we still have a capability and have opportunity to compete on a high level, and to win a championship,” Jokic said.

“For me, it’s legacy. You want to be legendary and to be remembered, so I think that’s the way how you do it, in my way of thinking.”

Denver’s front office has also dismissed concerns about the relationship. Executive vice president of basketball operations Ben Tenzer said, “We have no concerns,” when asked about Jokic’s future. When questioned about the possibility of a difficult start creating uncertainty, Tenzer repeated, “We have no concerns there.”

That puts the Nuggets in a strong position. They can offer Jokic the largest possible contract, and their franchise player has publicly expressed his desire to stay. But keeping him happy also means continuing to build a team capable of competing for championships.

Why a Curry-Jokic partnership would change everything

It is easy to understand why the Warriors would be interested in exploring this possibility. Curry and Jokic possess very different offensive strengths, but those differences could make them an incredibly difficult pairing to defend.

Jokic averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists in 65 appearances during the 2025-26 season. He became one of the league’s most dangerous offensive players by combining his scoring with an ability to create opportunities for everyone around him.

Curry, meanwhile, remains one of the greatest off-ball threats basketball has ever seen. Defenders cannot afford to lose track of him for even a moment, and that creates opportunities for teammates whenever he moves away from the ball.

Imagine Jokic operating from the high post while Curry moves around screens on the perimeter. Defenses would have to choose between staying attached to the greatest shooter of all time and stopping one of the best passing centers in NBA history.

That is where the partnership becomes particularly interesting. Jokic could find Curry cutting through the defense, while Curry’s shooting threat would make it harder for opponents to crowd the paint and disrupt Jokic’s playmaking.

There would still be defensive questions to answer. Jokic is not an elite rim protector, and the Warriors would need to build a strong defensive supporting cast around their two superstars. Their financial commitments could also make that difficult.

But offensively, the possibility is difficult to ignore. A player who can score, rebound and create like Jokic alongside a shooter who constantly forces defenses to adjust would give Steve Kerr an entirely different level of options.

Every NBA executive is watching Jokic’s situation

Golden State is not alone in recognizing what Jokic could bring to a championship contender. The possibility of a three-time MVP becoming available would attract attention from practically every front office in the league.

The Ringer’s Howard Beck recently spoke to a longtime NBA executive who explained just how closely teams monitor situations involving players of Jokic’s caliber.

“Twenty-nine executives are not doing their job if they’re not constantly thinking about how to get Jokic on their team,” the executive told Beck.

Beck also reported that the possibility of an in-season trade remains highly unlikely among league insiders, although next summer presents a different situation. That distinction is important because Jokic’s contract decision could create an opportunity that simply does not exist right now.

There is also a reason the Nuggets cannot afford to become complacent. Denver lost Peyton Watson during the offseason, while its financial commitments have made improving the roster more difficult. The team is coming off a first-round playoff exit against Minnesota, and its ability to return to championship contention will remain under scrutiny.

President Josh Kroenke addressed the franchise’s plans after that disappointing playoff exit, saying, “I think everything’s on the table, outside of trading Nikola.”

For now, Denver has no intention of giving up its franchise cornerstone. Jokic has also given the organization every reason to believe he wants to stay. Yet Golden State has already made its own intentions clear by preserving flexibility and keeping its options open.

Curry has made his sacrifice, and the Warriors believe they remain a destination for the biggest names in basketball. Whether Jokic ever becomes available is another question entirely, but Golden State appears determined not to miss the opportunity if that door opens.