The lottery-bound Golden State Warriors’ playoff aspirations were effectively dashed just four games into the season when Phoenix Suns center Aron Baynes landed on and broke Stephen Curry’s hand.

The Warriors -- who already entered the season shorthanded as Klay Thompson recovers from an ACL tear suffered during last year’s NBA Finals -- could not afford to miss Curry for an extended period of time in the aftermath of Kevin Durant’s departure, Andre Iguodala’s trade, and Shaun Livingston’s retirement.

Curry’s injury sent the Warriors into a gap year, of sorts. It forced head coach Steve Kerr to assume the role of Tank Commander, a far cry from the title contention that defined the first five years of his career with Golden State.

Over the following months, the Warriors emphasized a youth movement, traded away several key rotation players, and lost a lot of basketball games while dealing with injuries to nearly every player on the roster. The focus for the season was about finding pieces for next year, to support the Splash Bros. as they try to reclaim their place atop the NBA.

While it hasn’t been smooth sailing, General Manager Bob Myers and Kerr seem to have found some players that they like and want to surround Curry and Thompson with. 

Center Marquese Chriss has revitalized his career in the Bay Area, posting career-highs across the board and flashing his ability as the type of rim-runner that could flourish next to Curry. Golden State agreed to a multi-year deal with Damion Lee, who proved he belongs in the NBA with his shooting and scoring. A pair of rookies -- Eric Paschall and Jordan Poole -- have shown that they have the potential to provide strong depth to a team with limited financial flexibility.

Dynasties aren’t extended without risks, however, and the Warriors’ biggest and boldest move was to acquire Andrew Wiggins in a trade that sent D’Angelo Russell to Minnesota.

Wiggins, a 25-year-old scoring wing, has not become the star many expected him to be coming out of Kansas in the 2014 Draft. Still, the Warriors feel like he’s a stronger positional fit than Russell was and he possesses potential that Golden State can unlock with their system and culture.

Over four months since breaking his hand, Curry will be returning to the Warriors’ lineup. 

With 20 games left to play, many argued that Golden State should just shut him down for the year, citing that the risk of injury in a lost season and the potential to “ruin” the tank both outweigh any benefit that he would provide.

By that logic, load management should be far more rampant and that’s just an unreasonable proposition -- players should play if they can.

But with the playoffs no longer in reach, what can Curry -- and the Warriors -- accomplish in this final stretch of the year?

Though less important compared to the aspects of his return that can contribute to winning, the Warriors are going to be a lot more fun to watch.

Five straight seasons of runs to the NBA Finals would spoil any fanbase, even one with the passion and perspective of the typically long-suffering DubNation. This year has been tough to watch. Though there have been some truly fun moments with this version of the team -- highlighted by their Christmas Day win over the Houston Rockets -- the injuries and sloppiness have tested the patience of even the most loyal supporters.

Steph Curry is worth the price of admission all on his own.

He’s the type of player you have to tune in for. Even when he loses, he’s probably going to do something special that leaves you speechless. The joy he plays with is infectious and his talent is breathtaking. Curry is good for the fans and the fans deserve it.

However, more importantly, Curry can work more closely with the young players to teach them how to improve and make championship plays.

After a rocky start to his career that saw the Warriors send him to Santa Cruz to regain his confidence, Poole has started to settle in. A switch to point guard has suited his current skill set much better than playing an off-guard position. February was Poole’s best month as he averaged 13.1 points and 3.5 assists on 45 percent shooting. Though his three-point shot hasn’t come around, he’s improved as a playmaker and driver.

Though Curry has been seen on the sidelines breaking the game down with the guys in uniform, being able to participate is a completely different experience. Both through his own play and a more hands-on approach, Curry can teach Poole how to best utilize his abilities, especially his dribble. Though sometimes he can try to do too much with the ball, Poole has shown a nice handle.

Curry can teach him how to create space, attack different defenders, and use his moves more efficiently. Though Poole hasn’t shown it yet, he’s been billed as a marksman. If he’s going to run the point -- which, truly, might be his best position -- then it could benefit him to watch one of the greats go to work.

Poole’s not the only one that can benefit from Curry’s wisdom. Lee, Ky Bowman, and, even, Kevon Looney -- who is trying to add a consistent three-point shot to his game, can all work with the future Hall of Famer in various ways to improve their games.

Curry’s return doesn’t change the goal of this season; it’s still about building for next year when the team expects to be contenders from day one.

In order to be ready for that, though, they need to use the rest of the year to build chemistry. Even if Curry only plays 30 minutes per game, he can learn how to play alongside a completely new set of teammates.

It took Curry and Durant, one of the most talented players ever, some time to truly click together. The Warriors’ superstar needs to begin to mesh with this roster, especially Wiggins.

Unless a superstar like Giannis Antetokounmpo or Joel Embiid becomes available, the Warriors are going to move forward with Wiggins as the third offensive option behind Curry and Thompson and Draymond Green’s primary defensive support.

The Curry-Wiggins connection is going to be crucial if they’re going to seriously contend. The small forward has already shown signs of being willing to buy into Kerr’s system, one that rewards selflessness and sacrifice. He’s churned out several all-around performances with high efficiency, most notably a strong performance in a win over the Denver Nuggets in which he scored 22 points, grabbed five rebounds, dished out 10 assists, came away with one steal, and blocked one shot while shooting 56 percent from the field.

Both players take a lot of shots and will need to find a balance between their styles -- Wiggins, historically, preferring the isolation play and Curry thriving in the Warriors’ pass-heavy offense.

Curry also needs to establish a strong foundation with Chriss, a center whose leaping ability can help the point guard break defenses. Their pick-and-rolls have the potential to be deadly, much like how JaVale McGee was a lob threat that provided valuable spacing and matchup problems for the opposition. Chriss has steadily improved over the course of the season, endearing himself to the Warriors so strongly that he looks like he could earn the starting spot next year.

Curry and Chriss sorting out their timing now is going to be hugely beneficial for games next year that matter.

Paschall can play the Green-role in the middle of the floor handling the rock after a trap forces Curry to give the ball out. Lee, Juan Toscano-Anderson, and others will have plenty of chances to knock down open shots as Curry draws defensive attention away from them.

If Curry, Green, and Wiggins can play some games together, it’ll give Kerr a solid look at what he can do schematically with them and it’ll give Myers more insight into the pieces that it’s going to require to keep their title dreams within reach. They can try out new sets, tweak old ones, and look to maximize everyone’s ability -- including Wiggins’ newfound playmaking.

There’s a lot to accomplish over the next 20 games.

The Warriors have spent this entire year preparing for the 2021 NBA Finals. Curry’s return allows them to start ramping up their efforts to get there.

Golden State’s roster is young and inexperienced and, coming off injury, Curry is unlikely to be in peak form. The Warriors may not rip off a winning streak with him, but he can lead them to closer contests with high-pressure situations that the new guys can work through and learn from.

Curry’s return isn’t going to turn the ship around instantaneously, but it’s going to better prepare everyone for the turbulent waters that await them when next season tips off. The games don’t matter in terms of playoff contention and positioning, but the stakes are going to change when the league’s first-ever unanimously selected MVP steps on the floor for the first time.

With the system himself returning to action, the Warriors can get a head start on building the good habits that wins titles.