SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors are entering the most important stretch of their season with cautious optimism, and head coach Steve Kerr offered an encouraging update regarding trade deadline acquisition Kristaps Porzingis as the team returned from the All-Star break.

“Kristaps has been here the last handful of days, and practiced today with the team,” Kerr said, signaling a meaningful step forward after earlier reports indicated Porzingis was limited to controlled halfcourt five-on-five work.

Kerr emphasized that Porzingis looked sharp and moved comfortably, but stopped short of guaranteeing his immediate return, noting that a full-court scrimmage session would serve as the next critical checkpoint in his evaluation.

“Looks good. He’s feeling good. We won’t make a determination until after tomorrow,” Kerr explained, adding that the team planned to get up and down the floor in live action, something they deliberately avoided in the first session back.

While the Porzingis update brought optimism, the news surrounding Stephen Curry remained more measured as the star guard continues to manage patellofemoral pain syndrome, commonly referred to as runner’s knee.

Curry has missed five consecutive games, and the Warriors strategically ruled him out of their final two contests before the break to maximize recovery time ahead of the season’s final push.

Kerr acknowledged that the team had not yet fully evaluated Curry in post-break workouts, as veterans were given additional rest, reinforcing how deliberate the organization is being with its franchise cornerstone.

The broader objective is clear.

Golden State faces a 27-game sprint down the stretch and currently sits in the eighth seed, hovering near the play-in tournament line in a crowded Western Conference race.

To climb out of that position, the Warriors need both Curry and Porzingis functioning at full capacity.

They have executed the first phase of that plan effectively.

Porzingis spent the All-Star break rehabbing alongside the team, maintaining conditioning and rhythm within the Warriors’ medical framework, while Curry largely stayed off his feet except for a dazzling trick shot appearance during All-Star weekend in Los Angeles.

Now, the focus shifts from rest to reintegration.

“That’s the hope,” Kerr said when asked whether both players could return soon. “But again, we have to see how it goes tomorrow.”

The Warriors’ optimism surrounding Porzingis extends beyond mere health clearance.

Since acquiring him at the trade deadline, the organization has viewed his skill set as a long-sought structural fit within Kerr’s offensive philosophy.

At seven-foot-three with perimeter shooting range and interior scoring touch, Porzingis offers a dimension Golden State has lacked in recent seasons.

His ability to score on the block against switches adds a counterpunch element to an offense that previously relied heavily on movement and perimeter creation.

“He’s an easy fit,” Kerr noted after the first practice session back, emphasizing that the system does not require wholesale adjustment to accommodate Porzingis.

Kerr highlighted the value of Porzingis’ post-up game, particularly from the elbows and low block, areas where his height and touch create immediate matchup stress.

However, the Warriors are not envisioning him solely as a stationary post scorer.

Kerr expressed particular excitement about integrating Porzingis into their trademark split-action sets, where off-ball movement and read-and-react decision-making define the attack.

“I’m actually more excited about having him in the split with somebody else having the ball,” Kerr explained, underscoring how Porzingis’ shooting gravity can stretch defenses in ways distinct from departed forward Jimmy Butler.

Golden State is effectively searching for solutions to the offensive void left by Butler’s absence, and while Porzingis does not replicate Butler’s downhill creation, he introduces spacing, vertical threat, and high-release shooting versatility.

Unlike traditional pick-and-pop bigs, Porzingis can operate off pin-downs and shoot on the move, adding complexity to defensive coverages that attempt to stay home on Curry.

The Warriors’ front office, backed by respected medical director Rick Celebrini and the performance staff, has repeatedly stated that they would not have executed the trade if they were not confident in Porzingis’ physical outlook.

That confidence is now being tested in real time as the regular season’s decisive stretch approaches.

For Golden State, the calculus is straightforward.

A healthy Curry stabilizes offensive orchestration.

A healthy Porzingis diversifies scoring layers and reinforces interior defense.

Together, they provide the dual engines required to surge past the play-in line and into a more secure playoff seed.

The coming scrimmage will offer the first genuine glimpse of whether that vision can materialize immediately.

In a Western Conference defined by parity and volatility, marginal health gains can translate directly into postseason positioning.

For now, the Warriors are balancing patience with anticipation, knowing that their season’s trajectory hinges not merely on talent, but on timing.