Warriors Buck Expected Move After Making NBA Draft Trade originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
After the Warriors opted to move back in the second round of the NBA draft on Thursday, shipping out No. 41 overall for the 52nd and 59th picks, it appeared that just about everyone projected them to be looking in the same direction–scrappy, undersize point guard Ryan Nembhard out of Gonzaga, the brother of Pacers playoff hero Andrew Nembhard.
NBADraft.net projected the Warriors to take Nembhard with the pick, writing, “Golden State moved down from pick 41 to acquire picks 52 and 57, and they use this selection to add a steady hand in Ryan Nembhard. A poised and experienced point guard, Nembhard brings vision, feel, and efficient shooting. He offers a reliable backup option behind Stephen Curry, plays with maturity, keeps the ball moving, and can organize the second-unit offense.”
And across social media the consensus was that Nembhard just felt like a Golden State guy.
One fan wrote, “The Warriors better not draft Ryan Nembhard because they think he will be just as good as his brother.”
Writer Brian O’Keefe added, “Fire up your Steve Kerr four-guard lineup jokes for when the Warriors draft a 6’0″ Ryan Nembhard Nah they actually kinda need a backup PG tbf…”
“Plz draft nembhard @warriors,” another wrote.
Ah, but it was all for naught, as the Warriors ditched the predictions and went their own way on pick No. 52. They chose Australian wing Alex Toohey, a 21-year-old who averaged 11.8 points and 3.8 rebounds last season, playing for Sydney in Australia’s NBL.
The Warriors had another crack at Nembhard when they moved up to No. 56 in a trade with Memphis, picking national champion Will Richard from Florida.
From the NBA.com scouting report on Richard: “Richard is a prototypical 3-and-D prospect. He showed the ability to play off the dribble in college but was more efficient in catch-and-shoot situations. Richard won’t be a stellar athlete in the NBA, but he has the lateral quickness and instincts to be a solid perimeter defender.
“Richard shares physical traits and a skill set with 3-and-D guys like Malik Beasley and Alex Caruso. He’s projected as a second-round pick and will likely begin his career off the bench.”
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.