Stephen Curry injury update puts Warriors one step closer to franchise game-changer

The Golden State Warriors announced on Wednesday that Stephen Curry will miss another 10 days due to his lingering knee issue, taking his total absence out to at least 20 games since the end of January when he hobbled off the floor against the Detroit Pistons.

Needless to say the Warriors' playoff hopes have taken another hit with this update, but it does move them one step closer to a high lottery pick which could completely change the fate of the franchise moving forward.

Warriors could still land top four pick at this year's draft

With back-to-back losses to the lowly Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls, Golden State have now fallen behind the L.A. Clippers and sit ninth in the Western Conference standings. They already have a worse record than the ninth and 10th-seeds in the Eastern Conference (the Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets), while sitting just a game ahead of the 10th-seed Portland Trail Blazers in ther West.

This latest Curry update increases the chances of finishing 10th in the West, suffering a quick Play-In elimination, and holding the 11th-worst record in the league. Such a result would give the Warriors an approximately 10% chance of landing a top four pick in what's viewed as a loaded draft, not to mention they'd most likely finish with the 11th or 12th pick rather than the 15th or 16th.

Many fans have already considered whether it's actually best for the Warriors to prioritize their draft lottery odds, not that the team is necessarily going to deliberately go in that direction. Is there much point pushing for a playoff spot where you'd likely meet the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs in the first-round?

Top four pick would give Warriors abundance of opportunity

Getting lucky at the draft lottery -- just as the Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks have done in each of the past two years in similar situations -- could completely transform and reshape the trajectory of the Golden State franchise.

Suddenly they could bring one of the best young players in the country through the door, and one that's a greater guarantee of working out as opposed to James Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga previously.

It would also give them a major asset to potentially use in a trade, especially if they want to renew interest in 2x MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Either way, it would open up opportunities that aren't currently in place for Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the front office.

Of course, the Warriors are still highly unlikely to actually land a top four pick, but there's no doubt this Curry update moves them a step closer even if it's still a fair way out in the distance.