Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry is still battling a stubborn right knee injury, and behind the calm updates and careful rehab lies a deeper story of frustration that coach Steve Kerr is now opening up about.
On Wednesday, the Warriors provided the latest medical bulletin: Curry continues to progress after being re-evaluated for patellofemoral pain syndrome and a bone bruise. The two-time MVP has resumed individual on-court workouts that are gradually intensifying, but the team confirmed he will not be cleared until another re-evaluation in 10 days. It has now been 15 games since Curry last suited up — his longest absence in years — and the cautious approach remains firmly in place.
Curry, who still leads the Warriors in scoring at 27.2 points per game, played his final game of the season on January 30 against the Detroit Pistons. Since then, the four-time champion has been forced to watch from the sidelines while his team has stumbled to a 5-10 record without him, falling below .500 and slipping in the brutally competitive Western Conference playoff picture.
Speaking to 95.7 The Game hours after the official update, Kerr gave fans a raw glimpse into what Curry is truly enduring.
“It hurts more than you know,” Kerr said, describing the emotional toll on his franchise player. “He’s frustrated. He wants to be out there for his guys, and this injury has lasted a lot longer than anyone thought it would. He’s dying to be back on the floor.”
Kerr revealed that while Curry has stayed fully engaged — offering advice, boosting teammates’ confidence, and even rejoining the team on the road — the superstar’s pain goes far beyond the physical.
“You know, as far as our conversations, it’s just very matter-of-fact,” Kerr continued. “Where he’s frustrated, he wants to be out there for his guys… he’s dying to be out there.”
The Warriors’ offense has visibly suffered without Curry’s gravity as a shooter and playmaker. Spacing has disappeared, rhythm has faltered, and the burden on the rest of the roster has grown heavier by the night.
For now, the medical staff — led by director of sports medicine Rick Celebrini — is keeping everything strictly methodical. Curry has been getting shots up on his own, but he has not yet participated in full team practices.
“Well, he hasn’t practiced yet,” Kerr confirmed. “He’s getting shots up. But he’s not in a place yet where we’re saying he’s going to be practicing anytime in the next few days. Rick is as good as they come, and he’s going to be very cautious and make sure Steph gets the right build-up.”
That measured pace means Curry is expected to miss at least the next five games: Thursday’s home matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, followed by a tough four-game road trip against the New York Knicks (March 15), Washington Wizards (March 16), Boston Celtics (March 18), and Detroit Pistons (March 20). His absence could stretch to around 20 games before the next major update.
With only 17 regular-season games remaining, the clock is ticking. If Curry returns shortly after this stretch, he’ll have roughly a dozen games to regain rhythm before the postseason — making every day of this painstaking recovery critical.
For now, the Warriors are taking it day by day, following the experts, and leaning on a frustrated but still-present Stephen Curry who, according to his coach, is hurting more than anyone outside the organization truly knows.
The wait continues — but the hope remains that when Curry finally returns, the pain of this long layoff will fuel one of the greatest comeback stories of his legendary career.