Warriors predicted to bench skilled 6-foot-5 rookie, NCAA champion for extended period originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

It would make sense for the to keep their core pieces on the floor at all times heading into a pivotal 2025-26 campaign, but their newest draftees could be at risk of missing out on crucial professional experience as a result.

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The Warriors’ aging trio of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green are competing for at least one more NBA championship victory before the 37-year-old Curry rides off into the sunset, and a recent update has indicated that the team’s coaching staff will continue to rely heavily upon the 4-time champion at the expense of a few new rookies.

While this might be the preferred strategy in the present, it’s plausible to wonder when Golden State’s next generation will get their time to shine.

“There was a time this offseason (two weeks ago) where it looked like Alex Toohey (the No. 52 overall pick) and Will Richard (No. 56) may have to fill rotation spots due to a lack of bodies with the Golden State Warriors,” Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz wrote Saturday.

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“With Jonathan Kuminga now under contract and veterans like Al Horford, Seth Curry, Gary Payton II and De’Anthony Melton able to sign, both rookies will need to wait their turns.”

“Toohey will at least begin the season on a two-way contract while Richard has the best chance at early playing time thanks to his championship experience at Florida.”

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“If all goes right and this elderly Warriors roster is able to stay on the court, however, neither rookie will get much run in 2025-26.”

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Though there’s good reason for the Warriors’ young pieces to miss considerable time in 2025-26 by way of DNP-Coaches Decisions, their carefully selected 2025 draft picks were brought onto the roster due in large part to their heightened experience level.

For one, Golden State’s No. 56 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft Will Richard is a four-year collegiate star coming off of a National Championship victory with the University of Florida, and a National Championship Game in which he led the Gators in scoring with 18 points against the University of Houston.

Richard is an extremely polished 6-foot-5 shooting guard ready to assume an immediate role within Golden State’s lineup, and the Warriors even displayed their evident trust in the second-round pick by handing him a four-year, $8.6 million contract this summer. In 40 appearances for Florida in the 2024-25 regular season, Richard boasted career-high marks of 13.3 points and 1.7 steals while compiling an impressive 59.2% effective field goal percentage.

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As for Alex Toohey, the Canberra, Australia native’s experience comes from several seasons of professional basketball in the NBL, where he starred for the Sydney Kings over the course of two seasons.

From 2023-2025, the 21-year-old Toohey averaged 9.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 0.7 blocks. Eventually, this led to the Warriors selecting the 6-foot-8 power forward with their No. 52 overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Sure, Curry and Co. will be the Warriors’ most relied-upon contributors if the franchise wishes to capture its eighth NBA title, but that does’t mean their two recent selections can’t make an impact in a limited role.

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