The Golden State Warriors are running out of time to fix their issues. With the NBA trade deadline approaching in under a week and the team’s final game before the deadline set for Tuesday, uncertainty is creeping in that they cannot ignore. With injuries piling up, head coach Steve Kerr has now addressed probably the most important one of them.

According to Warriors reporter Dalton Johnson, “Steve Kerr said he spoke with Jonathan Kuminga today and his knee is doing better, but he couldn’t say if Kuminga will be good to go Tuesday against the 76ers.”

Kerr mentioned that the 23-year-old worked out on Saturday at Chase Center, but the bone bruise in his knee hasn’t fully healed yet.

The timing of the update is hard to overlook. With that day being the team’s last chance to send Kuminga away before front offices around the league lock in their final choices, sitting him out might be key.

It would let the Dubs trade Kuminga in the middle of the game, similar to when Trae Young was traded to the Washington Wizards during the Atlanta Hawks’ game on the night. However, his inability to play creates a lack of reliability, which can add tension to potential offers.

Kerr was equally candid about how Stephen Curry’s injury issues have quietly increased since the team lost Jimmy Butler for the season to an ACL injury. While the guard’s minutes haven’t spiked up, the strain on him is subtler.

“He’s playing longer stretches,” Kerr said of Curry. “Some of that by design, some of it just because subs couldn’t get in for a couple of minutes. So it definitely puts a lot more stress on Steph’s shoulders, not having Jimmy next to him to create shots, to take over the offense when needed.”

Now, things are a bit more dire. An MRI revealed that Curry is dealing with Runner’s Knee, a condition that also had him sidelined against the Minnesota Timberwolves last week. Kerr made it clear that the team is carefully monitoring him ahead of the All-Star break, and the need to keep winning is intensifying.

Stephen Curry’s health and Jonathan Kuminga’s injury timing have complicated things further…

Stephen Curry‘s knee issue has forced the Warriors into a delicate balancing act. Steve Kerr admitted that it requires constant coordination between the coaching and performance staff. The challenge isn’t about whether Curry can play, but if he should shoulder the usual load he does when physical defenses become the norm in the playoffs.

Without Butler, Kerr noted how teams like the Detroit Pistons, who they played the night Curry was injured, are equipped to guard him aggressively, with athletic defenders capable of chasing him across the Dubs’ trademark off-ball actions.

That’s what makes a potential Kuminga trade hard to commit to.

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At his best, Kuminga offers a change of pace as an athletic wing who can consistently attack the rim, draw attention, and ease the pressure on Curry. Entering the deadline, the uncertainty around the 23-year-old’s knee might push the team to make a move for someone who can contribute immediately.

That condition has an added twist because the Dubs are avoiding long-term commitment. Multiple reports claim the front office is only considering expiring contracts, a major reason they didn’t go all out for Malik Monk or DeMar DeRozan.

The Warriors cannot wait any longer, though. With Curry’s health needing management and Kuminga missing at the worst possible time, Kerr’s honesty has highlighted a bigger reality: every decision could make or break the team’s season.

The coach, however, did recently clarify on 95.7 The Game’s Steiny and Guru Show that there has been radio silence from the front office. Kerr didn’t ease any tension by then saying that it’s “going to go down to the wire.”