Yes, Steph Curry wants and expects to play again this season. pic.twitter.com/DKNGtf2Eh8
— KNBR (@KNBR) November 12, 2019
He wore a large cast that shielded his hand from danger and eyeballs. He revealed surgery is not fully behind him, another coming in December to remove pins from his hand. He put on a happy face in a sad season that he insists is not over.
Stephen Curry believes he will be back this season. But he does not know when. Even his hopeful timetable comes with asterisks.
“At some point in early spring. It’s just a matter of the rehab process,” the star Warriors guard said Monday before the Curry-less Warriors hosted the Jazz. “… There’s a timeframe where we can measure the rehab process and then figure out what the rest of the year looks like. I’m excited about the potential that the rest of the season isn’t lost.”
The potential that it is lost arose last week, with a report stating he likely would not return to the court this season — a notion the Warriors denied. Curry said his broken left hand would be reevaluated in three months, putting February as a target — a target for an update, not necessarily for a resurgent return.
In all likelihood, there will be little for the Warriors to play for at that point apart from lottery jockeying. Curry and Klay Thompson could be in play for a team firmly entrenched in the drain of the NBA.
That doesn’t mean Curry wants to close his eyes and wait for next season.
“Mostly just to understand the chemistry with the young guys,” Curry said, when asked about the benefits of returning. “… We can even play around with rotations. Just get a vibe of what the following season, when we’re all healthy, looks like.”
Steph Curry was asked about this 10-year-old tweet.
“My best tweet ever.” https://t.co/G5TMhoyPjS pic.twitter.com/FbwYaCFgiI
— KNBR (@KNBR) November 12, 2019
Without him and Thompson and Draymond Green (until Monday’s game), Eric Paschall has emerged as a legitimate threat and Ky Bowman as an NBA player. Bowman doesn’t “look like a rookie,” Curry said. D’Angelo Russell, who’s scored at least 30 points in three straight games, has been “unreal,” Curry added.
The Warriors (2-8) are searching for — and successfully finding — bright spots in a dark campaign. So is Curry, who is not limited aerobically.
“Kind of treat it like a mini offseason,” Curry said of what his daily life has been like. “You have three months to work on your body. Obviously get some rest, but build a new foundation for what type of player I want to be coming back from this injury. Hopefully not miss a beat in terms of my rhythm. And [come back] even being better than I was before I got hurt. That’s the exciting part.”