The clock is running out for the Golden State Warriors, and no amount of late-game heroics can save them. The worst part for Dub Nation is that the team is starting to realize that. Their cautious approach to Stephen Curry’s injury has only intensified. He has already missed over 23 games and is expected to miss two more. According to Steve Kerr, the guy who admitted he has no part in the decision about his star player’s return, the team is no longer waiting for Curry.

Ahead of the team’s matchup against the Washington Wizards, the head coach poured some cold water on any hope that Curry would return in these final games or in the Play-In Tournament. “If he’s healthy, he’s going to play, if he’s not healthy or if there’s any risk at all, then he won’t play,” Kerr said.

The team has been without Curry since January 30, and his absence has been hard to fill for a team struggling to hold on to its play-in spot. Regardless of how much they want him back, Kerr made it clear: “We’re hoping he comes back, but we’re not going to take any chances.”

Amid calls to shut down for the rest of the season, the players and Kerr himself are pushing to keep their postseason chances alive. If that’s without the 38-year-old, they have to accept it. “We want to see him, we’re not bringing him back like for the play-in game,” Kerr said. “He needs to play some games, and we need to give him a runway if this is going to work. And we are running out of games.”

Coming from someone who has advocated for a shorter NBA season, the reality of not having enough games to fix the massive hole in the roster is grim. It’s a stark shift from simply patching gaps in the lineup. With Moses Moody now dealing with a major injury, the roster remains in flux, forcing the team into a constant state of adjustment.

Stephen Curry’s return poses a dilemma for the Warriors

The Golden State lineup has constantly changed during the eight weeks Stephen Curry has been absent. It certainly hasn’t been a favorable situation, contributing to their drop to the 10th spot in the West.

While Kerr maintained cautious optimism, saying, “He’s [Curry] still working, and Rick [Celebrini] is working with them with the mindset that he will be back,” Curry’s return doesn’t guarantee a win. But this isn’t the first time the Warriors have faced a late-season injury dilemma involving a franchise cornerstone. During the 2016 playoffs, Curry himself dealt with knee and ankle injuries, forcing the team to carefully manage his minutes and availability.

While Golden State ultimately reached the Finals, Curry’s disrupted rhythm was evident, serving as a reminder of how difficult it is to reintegrate a superstar under postseason pressure. That same challenge has surfaced in other seasons as well, most notably during Klay Thompson’s lengthy recovery, when the team had to balance competitiveness with long-term health. In each case, the Warriors have leaned toward caution, often at the expense of short-term results.

This isn’t just common for the Dubs, but a broader league-wide trend. Across the NBA, contenders are increasingly cautious with their stars, recognizing that a rushed return can do more harm than good. Teams in similar positions are prioritizing long-term availability over immediate gains, even when playoff seeding is on the line.

Throwing the veteran guard straight into a high-stakes play-in or playoff environment without rhythm is far from ideal. The Warriors have eight games left. That’s why Kerr emphasized they are not rushing him back, despite the confidence he brings to the team. He stopped just short of confirming whether Curry could be shut down for the season. Instead, Celebrini is focused on getting him game-ready through conditioning, intensified scrimmages, and reintegration into a lineup that has played two months without him.