” I just want the option, and if I’m at a legitimate ability to be able to play,” Stephen Curry exclusively told EssentiallySports at an optional practice for the Warriors at USC. The concept of ‘optional practice’ eludes The Chef. Yet as he pushes his body and aspires to play beyond the other side of 40, the spectators watch between their fingers. Curry’s infamous glass ankles and injury history has always been a concern. His former teammate still can’t get over it. It felt on another injury-prone player to provide Steve Kerr an interesting solution.

During All The Smoke’s predictions for the 2025-26 season, Matt Barnes revealed a very real fear to Stephen Jackson. “My concern this year is purely for Steph Curry and just the miles he has on his legs. And we all know Steph is not the biggest guy, and the way he moves and runs, how can they preserve as much of Steph as possible for post-All-Star and a run into the playoffs and still be effective enough to get themselves a nice… come playoff time?”

Barnes’ concerns aren’t without merit. In 2017, few months before he retired, the former We Believe star returned to Golden State. He’d end up retiring a Dub and an NBA champion. But most remember that season Steph’s glass ankle curse struck and kept him off 11 games. A few months ago, Curry’s hamstring injury kept him off the playoffs and that ultimately cost the Dubs the series.

Stak’s oncourt and offcourt shenanigans left him with injuries he’s only tackled this year. He’s been back on ATS  after surgery recently to offer gems like these.

“They can hide him.” Ingenious… And according to Stak, “It’s trash on every team. So just find the trash bucket. Find the, you know what I’m saying, whatever they roll out with the trash on the court. Steph guard him, and he’ll be all right.” We hope Steve Kerr’s taking notes.

Jackson also dismissed concerns about the Warriors roster being old. When he was winning a championship with the Spurs, they were called old too. With the Kuminga situation resolved though, Jackson comfortably calls the Warriors title contenders.

That, as Barnes said, would depend on if Stephen Curry is in playoff shape. But he’s thinking about the immediate future. Curry’s got longterm plans.

Steph Curry has the same concern as Matt Barnes

After LeBron James hit 40 at the end of 2024, the window for an NBA career just got wider. Long before Bron made it look possible, Steph was already aspiring to play into his 40s.

At training camp this month, Steve Kerr revealed that Curry had gotten there early, did his shooting routine, stretching, strength training, got his treatment, the works. You wouldn’t know this guy had the most gut-wrenching hamstring injury five months earlier that proved the Warriors needed the point guard to get over the hump.

Despite his cursed luck with injuries, Curry’s earned his reputation as one of the most adaptive stars in the league. All in an effort to prolong his career and walk away when he wants to, not because he’s worn out. “All I’ll say is that I just want the option, and if I’m at a legitimate ability to be able to play,” Curry said. “I don’t know if it’ll make sense or if I would want to, whatever the case is. But if I can make the decision and the decision is not made for me, that’s a big, big point.”

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At 37, he’s cutting it close but still has time. But would putting him on easy opponents and hiding him behind, say a big like Al Horford, work? We’d have to see when Curry and the Warriors start the season against Luka Doncic and the new and somewhat improved Lakers.