Steph Curry Will Earn Less Than Half Of Record-Breaking NBA Salary

Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry, a two-time MVP and two-time NBA champion, inked a record-breaking five-year $201 million contract on July 1 and will earn about $34.8 million through the 2017-18 season. However, Curry is expected to only see about $15.2 million, which is 44 percent of his actual salary, according to ESPN’s Darren Rovell.

Over the past four seasons, the Warriors paid Curry a total of $44 million. His new contract is expected to average $40.2 million per season, the highest single-season salary ever. Curry’s projected earnings topped NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan’s $33.1 million salary in 1998. Conversely, All-Star James Harden’s earnings overshadowed Curry’s just a week later when he inked a $228 extension with the Houston Rockets.

With Curry's hefty contract also come hefty deductions. Not only does Curry pay taxes, but he also pays his agent about roughly 4 percent.

States like California placed a hearty tax on money grossed by professional sports, which is partly to blame for Curry’s deductions. Other states like Texas are more merciful as they have no state income tax. After a contract is taxed, 10 percent of the player’s income held in escrow last season gets returned, according to ESPN.

Even though Curry is projected to take home less than half of his salary for the season, he is still worth an estimated $60 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The MVP has several lucrative endorsements including the deal he inked with sports apparel brand Under Armour in 2015. The 29-year-old signed an extension with the brand through 2024 which included equity stake.

"In the first two years of our partnership, we accomplished so much both on and off the court, and I'm looking forward to being part of the brand's story for the rest of my playing career and beyond," Curry said in a press release. "Together we share a passion for making athletes better and instilling self-belief in athletes everywhere. The entire team has done an amazing job to develop innovative product that performs on the court and build platforms that allow me to connect with athletes all over the world. The best is yet to come.

"Under Armour has felt like family since day one. In the first two years of our partnership, we accomplished so much both on and off the court, and I'm looking forward to being part of the brand's story for the rest of my playing career and beyond."