Alex Toohey was waived by the Golden State Warriors after little opportunity during preseason, but the young forward has wasted no time pressing his claim for a two-way contract in Santa Cruz’s season opener on Saturday night.
With youth on his side and being a player the Warriors are clearly willing to invest in, Toohey could easily return to a two-way contract over Malevy Leons who hasn’t seen rotation minutes this season despite Golden State’s depleted wing/forward depth without Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody.
Alex Toohey wastes no time proving he should be on a two-way contract
Toohey did a bit of everything in a dominant 127-108 victory over the Stockton Kings, displaying the kind of versatility at size that lured the Warriors into drafting him with the 52nd overall pick of last year’s draft.
The Australian forward had 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists on an efficient 7-of-11 shooting from the floor, knocking down one of his two three-point attempts while also recording two steals, one block and committing just one turnover in his 32 minutes on the floor.
Toohey might have been the story of the game if not for current two-way center Graham Ike who, after already starting two games for Golden State this season, had a massive 24 points, 11 rebounds and three assists in 28 minutes. The Gonzaga product shot 8-of-12 from the floor, including 1-of-2 from beyond the arc after flashing some range during his limited minutes with the main squad early in the season.
It’s worth noting that Leons and the Warriors’ third two-way contracted player, LJ Cryer, didn’t play in the game as Golden State recorded a tough overtime victory over the Orlando Magic at Chase Center. Neither Leons or Cryer saw the court in that game either.
Warriors should replace Malevy Leons with Alex Toohey
The Warriors clearly wanted to have some wing/forward depth given their current injury concerns, but if Leons isn’t going to play now, when will he ever be part of the rotation given Butler and Moody could return within the next three months?
The 27-year-old really hasn’t played genuine rotation minutes all season. He played nine fourth-quarter minutes in the blowout loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in the season opener, and has since played less than nine combined minutes over the last nine games.
Golden State are likely comfortable with where they’re at because they can simply have Toohey in their G League program, but don’t be surprised if, at some stage in the next 12 months, the 22-year-old retakes his two-way contract over Leons. Toohey initially lost his two-way deal and was waived by the Warriors last season following a long-term knee injury.
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