Steph Curry suffers $5.1M loss after NBA players forfeit $480M to make up revenue shortfall

The NBA's "Basketball-Related Income" (BRI) falling short of expectations has notably impacted Steph Curry.

According to an anonymous source who spoke with RealGM, the league's BRI was expected to be $10.25 billion for the 2024-25 season.

Now, because of the league's BRI coming up short of expectations, players will lose a total of $480 million to maintain the 51/49 revenue split. As a result, the league's highest-paid player, Curry, will lose $5.1 million.

As the outlet explained, the league withholds 10% of player salaries in an escrow fund throughout the year in preparation for a situation like this. As a result, players won't be cutting the league checks, but rather forfeiting their piece of the escrow fund.

Curry, of course, isn't the only player whose situation will be impacted. Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic - who both made more than $50 million last season - will lose an estimated $4.7 million.

Meanwhile, Kevin Durant - who made $54 million - is set to lose $4.5 million as a result of the situation.

Despite the financial shortcomings in the 2024-25 season, the league notably raised the salary cap by 10% for the 2025-26 season, the maximum allowable amount.

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Looking at Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors' offseason

Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors were eager to make a deep playoff run in the 2024-25 season following Jimmy Butler's arrival in February.

After a hard-fought seven-game series against the Houston Rockets in the first round, the Warriors were eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round as Curry watched from the sidelines while dealing with a hamstring injury.

Heading into the offseason, it was clear that Golden State's front office would be active throughout the summer.

At the end of the season, coach Steve Kerr spoke openly about how lineups with Butler, Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga weren't working. While Kuminga is a restricted free agent, the expectation is that the two sides will likely part ways before the start of the 2025-26 season.

Additionally, there's the matter of the team's frontcourt, which currently lacks a true starting center.

With the market for big men looking incredibly slim following the Jonas Valanciunas trade - and the Lakers' acquisition of Deandre Ayton - there has been talk of a deal with Chicago for big man Nikola Vucevic.

In the meantime, Steph Curry is currently gearing up to play at the American Century Golf Championship, where he won the 2023 title.