Stephen Curry
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The Warriors reportedly aren't rushing Stephen Curry back from injury for one big reason
The Golden State Warriors‘ playoff hopes, while still very much alive, don’t appear to be too promising. With a 32-33 record, the Warriors currently sit in ninth place in the Western Conference, and while they would need a catastrophic collapse in order to fall out of the Play-In Tournament, it seems like any shot of making a deep playoff run depends on Stephen Curry‘s injury status.
Curry hasn’t played since Jan. 30 due to a lingering right knee injury, and at this point of the season, Golden State doesn’t seem to be in any sort of rush to get him back on the court. According to a team insider, there may very well be a reason for that, and it involves the Warriors’ desire to build a legit championship contender next season.
Why Warriors Aren’t Rushing Stephen Curry Back into Action
Over the past few years, the Warriors have been operating as if they know Curry’s time in the NBA could come to an end at any moment. While Curry has remained outrageously productive when he’s been healthy, he is set to turn 38 years old on Mar. 14, and of course, it’s worth noting he’s only played in 39 games this season.
Further complicating matters has been the makeup of the rest of Golden State’s roster. Jimmy Butler suffered a torn ACL midway through January, and Draymond Green’s impact on the team has continued to wane. One of the guys who could have helped fill in for Curry and Butler, Jonathan Kuminga, was finally shipped to the Atlanta Hawks after a months-long trade saga.
Even if Curry does return to action, it’s tough to say that the Dubs will be able to go on a deep playoff run, if they even make it out of the Play-In Tournament. With the team expected to load up over the offseason, and their hopes of going on a deep run this year dwindling, Warriors’ insider Anthony Slater of ESPN believes that the team could be protecting Curry, in hopes of him being good to go for a potential title push in the 2026-27 campaign.
“Next season has become ‘the’ season in this final Steph era, and I don’t think at all they want to jeopardize that,” Slater said on “The Hoop Collective Podcast.” This is, from what I’ve gathered, an injury that they fear, if you do put him back on the court and he’s not quite ready, it could reinjure, reaggravate.”
Will Stephen Curry Play Again for the Warriors This Year?
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GettyStephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors wears a shirt honoring Martin Luther King Jr. while he sits on the bench before their game against the Miami Heat at Chase Center on January 19, 2026 in San Francisco, California.
From a long-term perspective, making sure Curry is good to go when he returns to action is the most important thing for the Warriors here. And yet, with that being said, this isn’t a declaration that says the team is shutting him down for the season. Curry was recently ruled out for at least 10 more days earlier this week, but if he shows signs of improvement, he could very well be back on the court later this month.
Golden State’s reported tune for the remainder of the season, though, is further proof that the front office is looking to take one more big swing this upcoming offseason before Curry calls it a career. So while the remainder of this campaign could be a slog, there’s reason to believe that better days are coming for the Warriors.