For a team that opened the season with championship expectations, the Golden State Warriors are now just trying to stay afloat. Injuries to key players like Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler have derailed their momentum and pushed them into the Play-In picture. Because of that, the frontcourt has taken the biggest hit, leaving the Warriors scrambling for reinforcements just to field a workable rotation.

With Al Horford and Quinten Post both sidelined and not expected back until next week, the Warriors had no choice but to act. According to NBA insider Michael Scotto, Golden State is signing center Charles Bassey on a short-term deal, continuing a pattern of emergency frontcourt additions as they try to navigate this injury stretch.

This move comes right after the Warriors let Omer Yurtseven walk following two 10-day contracts. While Yurtseven provided decent minutes, the front office opted to bring in a new option as injuries continued to pile up. Horford has already missed 11 straight games with a calf strain, while Post remains sidelined with a foot injury, leaving a clear gap in the rotation.

This is not a random addition. The Warriors need Bassey’s size, rebounding, and interior presence as they wait for their frontcourt to recover. Without Horford, their small-ball lineups have struggled, especially in protecting the paint and controlling the glass, exposing a weakness they can no longer afford during the Play-In push.

Bassey arrives as a familiar short-term option. The 2021 second-round pick most recently spent time with the Boston Celtics on consecutive 10-day deals, appearing in five games with limited minutes. Over his career, he has had brief stints with the Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs, and Memphis Grizzlies, carving out a role as a rebound-first big man. While his numbers do not jump off the page, his physical presence and rim protection make him a reliable stopgap in situations like this.

While Bassey fills a short-term gap, the bigger storyline still revolves around Curry’s return. After missing 27 straight games, his conditioning and on-court impact will be under intense scrutiny, especially with the Warriors fighting to stay alive in the postseason race.

Stephen Curry returns just in time for the Warriors as the race to the playoffs intensifies

Before the injury, Curry was playing at an elite level and earned his 12th All-Star selection. However, what initially looked like a short-term issue on January 31 turned into a prolonged absence, forcing him to miss the All-Star Game and significantly altering the Warriors’ trajectory.

Now, after more than two months on the sidelines, the 38-year-old is finally close to returning. He has cleared fitness tests and taken part in scrimmages, signaling that he is ready to step back onto the court.

His return could not come at a better time. The Warriors are clinging to the 10th spot in the West, and Curry brings immediate offensive stability, leadership, and shot creation to a lineup that has struggled to find consistency during his absence.

Even in a season disrupted by injuries and inconsistency, Curry has remained the team’s offensive engine. He is averaging 27.2 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds on efficient shooting, and the Warriors’ offense noticeably drops off without him on the floor, highlighting just how critical his presence is.

With only a handful of games left, Steve Kerr will use this stretch to evaluate Curry’s rhythm before the Play-In begins. If Horford and Post return on schedule, the Warriors could stabilize their rotation just in time. Until then, Bassey represents a low-risk move in a high-pressure moment, as Golden State tries to hold things together long enough to give itself a real shot in the postseason.