The Golden State Warriors are staring down a harsh reality in the 2025-26 season: Stephen Curry, the heartbeat of the franchise, is 37 years old and increasingly fragile. With a nagging knee issue—diagnosed as patellofemoral pain syndrome, commonly known as runner’s knee—Curry has already missed multiple games, including recent contests against the Suns and Lakers. The Warriors have ruled him out for several more as they prioritize caution over pushing their superstar through pain.
At 28-24 and clinging to the 8th spot in the Western Conference, Golden State remains in the Play-In hunt. But every game without Curry exposes the team’s heavy reliance on him. When he’s on the floor, he’s still elite—averaging 27.2 points per game and carrying the offense with his gravity-defying shooting. When he’s off it, the Warriors look mortal, scrambling for answers in a loaded West.
This is the inescapable Curry problem: the Dubs can’t win a championship without him at full strength, but playing him heavy minutes risks a catastrophic injury that could derail not just this season, but the twilight of his Hall of Fame career. Coach Steve Kerr and the front office know it. The recent trade for Kristaps Porziņģis added size and spacing, but it hasn’t solved the deeper issue—depth and load management around their aging icon.
Enter the buyout market, where the Warriors have open roster spots and a golden opportunity to add veteran help without sacrificing assets.
One name rising to the top of wishlists: Pat Connaughton.
The Charlotte Hornets waived the former Milwaukee Bucks guard just days ago, a move that cleared the way for him to join a contender. Connaughton, an 11-year veteran and key member of the Bucks’ 2021 championship team, brings exactly what Golden State needs: reliable three-point shooting (career 35.7%, and a sharp 40.7% in limited minutes with Charlotte this year), solid defense, and playoff experience in 86 postseason games.
As Sports Illustrated’s Joey Akeley recently pointed out: “Connaughton is a decent shooter who won’t kill your defense. He’s played in 86 playoff games.” That’s the kind of plug-and-play contributor who can eat minutes, space the floor for Curry (when healthy), and allow Kerr to rest his star without the offense collapsing.
Though Connaughton’s role in Charlotte was limited—he averaged just 2.9 points in 22 games—his championship pedigree and track record make him a low-risk, high-reward addition. The Notre Dame product knows how to win, and on a Warriors squad chasing one last deep run with Curry, that intangible matters.
Adding Connaughton (or similar buyout targets) wouldn’t erase the Curry problem entirely—no one can replace the greatest shooter of all time. But it could ease the burden, preserve his health for the stretch run, and give Golden State a fighting chance to climb the standings and make noise in the playoffs.
The clock is ticking. With the buyout season heating up, the Warriors can’t afford to stand pat. Curry’s brilliance is still the engine, but protecting it is now the priority. Code red in the Bay—will they find the reinforcements to keep the dream alive?