Warriors star Stephen Curry has been dealing with a nagging knee injury that just won’t go away, and it’s jeopardizing what little time he has left this season.
In the latest update shared by ESPN’s Shams Charania on Friday, it was revealed that the two-time MVP will miss today’s game against the Washington Wizards and Sunday’s game against the Denver Nuggets before he can return to the lineup (making at least 25 games total).
“Golden State’s Stephen Curry will be re-examined next week as he attempts to ramp up again with his ailing knee,” wrote Shams on X. “This extends his prolonged absence to at least 25 straight games after he was unable to scrimmage this week as previously hoped.”
Curry, 38, hasn’t played since January 30th, in a 131-124 loss to the Pistons. The official diagnosis is runner’s knee, defined by swelling and discomfort in the area, and it has persisted through the weeks. While no official timetable has been given, his new re-examination date pushes back his return until next week, at the earliest. Despite that, he still wants to suit up for the Warriors if he’s able to play.
“Steph Curry has not given up hope on returning late this regular season,” reported Anthony Slater. “Officially ruled out through the Denver game on Sunday. He’s still trying to get the Rick Celebrini green light to scrimmage in the coming days.”
This has been a complicated rehab process for Steph, but he has made some progress recently that has the team hopeful for his return. Still, at 38 years old, the Warriors are not willing to rush the process, even if it means losing extra games in the process. In fact, there’s a growing case that Steph shouldn’t play again at all this season if the Warriors want to preserve his health and durability for the 2026-27 campaign.
Ultimately, once Steph is cleared for scrimmages without limitations, that’s the sign that he’s on the verge of returning. Until then, we can only guess when/if he’ll take the court again this season. With averages of 27.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game on 46.8% shooting and 39.1% shooting from three, he was in the middle of another elite campaign before going down, but he may never forget the chance to finish it.
Even if Steph does return, it would only be for seven games before the season ends. At 10th in the West, the odds of making the playoffs are stacked against the Warriors, and there’s really not much left to play for this season. The fact that Steph still wants to come back and put on one final show for the fans says a lot about his dedication and commitment to the craft. If he’s healthy, he’s ready and willing to play, even in essentially meaningless games (unlikely to rise above 10th in the West).
That’s why the Warriors must do right by him this summer. With new opportunities opening up across the NBA, they must take action to make changes that will maximize Steph’s game. If not, they may miss their last chance to win another championship in the Curry era.
