Warriors News: 7+3 Forward Returns, Young Guard Earns Major Recognition, Preseason Schedule Released

On September 10 Beijing time, three pieces of news emerged from the Golden State Warriors: 1. The Warriors will sign last year's second-round pick Toohey to a non-guaranteed training camp contract; 2. Second-year Warriors guard Richard trained hard this summer and was specifically praised by head coach Kerr; 3. The Warriors' preseason schedule for this year has been announced. Here are the details:

The 7+3 Forward Returns

Today, according to ESPN Warriors beat reporter Anthony Slater, sources said the Warriors will sign free agent Alex Toohey to a non-guaranteed training camp contract. The 22-year-old Toohey is 2.03 meters tall and weighs 101 kilograms, playing as a forward. Last year, he entered the NBA Draft and was selected by the Suns with the 22nd pick in the second round, before being traded to the Warriors and signing a two-way contract. However, after playing only two games for the Warriors' G League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, Toohey suffered a serious knee injury, underwent surgery, and missed the remainder of the season. To open a two-way roster spot, the Warriors waived Toohey in December last year.

Why are the Warriors bringing Toohey back? The writer believes there are two reasons: 1. Toohey was a player discovered by Warriors scouts who possesses high basketball IQ, versatile skills, and ideal size for a wing, but injuries prevented him from showing his full ability, and the Warriors do not want to give up on him; 2. During Summer League in July this year, Toohey had already joined the Warriors for non-contact workouts, and the coaching staff publicly praised him as a positive player full of energy. His return is likely also aimed at competing for a two-way contract, creating healthy internal competition within the Warriors. Overall, bringing Toohey back on a non-guaranteed training camp contract is a solid move by the Warriors. If he performs well, he could become a plug-and-play rotation option; if not, keeping him with the G League affiliate would still have value. Whether Toohey can seize this opportunity depends on his effort and actual performance.

Young Player Earns Major Recognition

Today, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr spoke with the media and praised second-year player Will Richard. Kerr said: "Early and midway through last season, Richard showed impressive performances, but during the final 20 games of the season, Richard hit the rookie wall. He looked tired and lost the speed and explosiveness he had earlier. This offseason, Richard spent a lot of time in the gym, working to improve his strength and conditioning. I have high expectations for him." The 23-year-old Richard was selected 26th overall in the second round last year. During his rookie season, he appeared in 69 games for the Warriors, averaging 20 minutes, 6.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, with shooting splits of 46.8%, 33.5%, and 85.2%. He also had an impressive game in which he scored 30 points.

It is worth noting that Kerr has always been a highly confident coach, and he criticized Richard's behavior on the court several times last season. The fact that Kerr has now put aside his pride and proactively praised Richard shows that Richard worked extremely hard this summer. His professional attitude has impressed Kerr, and Richard is expected to receive more playing time and opportunities next season. As a second-round pick, Richard making the Warriors' regular rotation in his rookie season and producing a solid statistical line was already an impressive achievement. His energy on both offense and defense also left a strong impression. As Kerr said, after this summer of hard work and development, it will be exciting to see how Richard transforms in the new season.

Preseason Schedule Released

Today, the NBA officially announced the 2026 preseason schedule, with the Warriors scheduled to play six games. The details are: October 5 at 7:00 a.m., the preseason opener on the road against the Los Angeles Clippers; October 7 at 10:00 a.m., hosting the Los Angeles Lakers, whose roster has undergone major changes; October 8 at 10:00 a.m., visiting the Portland Trail Blazers, where Chinese player Yang Hansen is on the roster; October 11 at 8:30 a.m., hosting the Western Conference team Sacramento Kings; October 14 at 10:00 a.m., facing the Lakers again in Las Vegas; October 17 at 10:00 a.m., hosting the Trail Blazers in the preseason finale.

Although preseason games are mostly about players running through systems and are not highly consequential, with teams not investing as much focus or intensity, they still have significance for the Warriors. On one hand, the Warriors have many veteran players who can use preseason games to regain their feel for competition and rebuild their conditioning. On the other hand, the Warriors' coaching staff can use the preseason to discover young players with potential to make the regular-season roster, helping expand the team's rotation options. For fans, the long offseason is finally over and they can watch their team play again. Even though preseason results do not count in the standings, many fans will still watch with great interest and enthusiasm.