Golden State Warriors: What Happens If Stephen Curry Can't Stay Healthy?

It'll be interesting to see what happens if Stephen Curry can't stay healthy.

Curry, the Golden State Warriors' franchise point guard, missed 40 games this season due to an injured right ankle. He actually sprained it four times this season.

Curry experienced problems with the ankle last season as well, causing him to miss eight games.

Last month, he had the ankle surgically repaired for the second time in a year and now expects to be fully recovered by the start of the 2011-12 training camp.

Surgery, of course, doesn't guarantee that Curry's injuries are over.

If he can't manage to stay healthy, it's imperative that the Warriors cut ties with the former Davidson star.

The Warriors could elect to pursue a trade, although there probably wouldn't be a ton of teams that would want to gamble on a player with ongoing injuries.

There's a possibility that Curry's hometown team, the Charlotte Bobcats, would be interested in acquiring him. Curry could surely help the team sell tickets.

Another club that could show interest is the Phoenix Suns, who possess a high-quality medical staff. Just look at how they played a role in rejuvenating Grant Hill's career.    

Warriors owner Joe Lacob made it clear that the team could've dealt Curry earlier this season. Instead, the team shipped Monta Ellis to the Milwaukee Bucks for Andrew Bogut at this year's trade deadline. 

If Curry's ankle problems persist and the Warriors are unable to trade him, the team could just let him walk in free agency.   

Curry is eligible for a contract extension this fall. If no deal is reached by October 31st, he can become a restricted free agent in the summer of 2013 and then unrestricted the following year. 

When healthy, Curry is one of the league's better point guards and can simply shoot the lights out. He's averaged 17.5 points and 5.8 assists per game for his three-year career.

Let's hope he can stay injury free and become the All-Star that many people believe he can become.