Stephen Curry’s injury has given the Golden State Warriors another reason to worry despite their impressive start to the 2026-27 campaign. The superstar guard exited Wednesday’s loss to the Houston Rockets after playing six minutes. Steve Kerr admitted that the team was concerned about the injury. However, there is some encouraging news coming out of the Warriors’ locker room.

Two of their injured players, Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody, could be closer to returning than initially expected. Both players suffered serious knee injuries that ended their 2025-26 campaigns. Their recoveries were expected to keep them out for a significant portion of the new season, with the All-Star break initially emerging as a possible return date. But a new report from NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole suggests their rehabilitation may be progressing faster than anticipated.

“I keep hearing that [Jimmy and Moses] are, the whispers are that they’re ahead of schedule, that they both could be back before February,” Poole said on Dubs Talk. “Everybody’s talking about the All-Star break, and now I’m hearing that ‘No, they’re coming along really nicely.’ Nobody’s saying that out loud, but the whispers are that they look really good. Nobody’s saying they are ahead of the schedule.

“But when you talk to 4 or 5 different people and they all say the same thing, ‘Man, those guys are—they’re looking really good.’ That suggests to me that they could be back earlier. One person did say, ‘Yeah, I’d be surprised if they’re not ready before February,’ and that means both of them.”

The Warriors have not confirmed an earlier return date for either player. Butler tore his right ACL on January 19, 2026, and underwent reconstructive surgery the following month. Moody, meanwhile, suffered a ruptured left patellar tendon on March 23 against the Dallas Mavericks, and he had to be taken off the court on a stretcher.

Butler offered a positive update during the Warriors’ media day in September. He revealed that he had started running again and had even returned to dunking. “I can dunk a basketball, in case anybody wants to know,” he said. The veteran forward has also remained involved with the team despite being unable to play.

During Golden State’s November 9 game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Butler joined the coaching staff on the sidelines. He wore the same gray sweater and black pants as the coaches, carried a clipboard, and offered suggestions to his teammates.

Moody has also made progress after initially being limited to light on-court activities. By October, reports indicated that he had advanced to individual court workouts. He was also reportedly ahead of Butler in the rehabilitation process

Now, Poole’s update arrives at an important time for Golden State. The Warriors began the season with three consecutive defeats but responded with eight straight victories. Their run included a dominant 138-87 win over the Pelicans before Houston ended their streak with a 115-108 victory on November 11.

Stephen Curry has been the biggest reason behind that turnaround. The Warriors superstar has averaged 27.8 points, 3.9 assists, and 3.7 rebounds through his first 10 appearances. In fact, the 38-year-old has converted 50% of his field-goal attempts and 45.7% of his three-pointers.

Before playing Houston, he was averaging 30.6 points and ranked second in the league in scoring. Now, Stephen Curry’s absence will test the Warriors’ depth, particularly with Butler and Moody still recovering.

Stephen Curry’s oblique injury leaves the Warriors in limbo. The team has confirmed the tear and says Curry will be re-evaluated in two weeks. No return date has been set, leaving Golden State to manage without its leading scorer for at least the next two weeks, and potentially longer.