It must be a frustrating season for Seth Curry. After joining the Golden State Warriors mid-season with the aim of uniting with his brother for the first time in his career, he's played in just two games. He's been limited to just 32 minutes of action on the season.
This has in large part been due to a linger sciatic nerve issue he's dealt with over the course of the season. There was some level of optimism that he would be ready to return after the All-Star Break, having missed the team's last 24 games.
Although he's making strong progress, the team indicated on Wednesday that Seth won't be available for at least two more weeks. He will be ramping up his on-court work in the meantime, but he won't be re-evaluated again until that time-frame has passed.
With Stephen Curry also remaining sidelined, this is certainly a disappointing development.
But for rookie wing Will Richard, it could prove to be a blessing.
Will Richard needs to get as many opportunities as possible over the remainder of the season
Since Jimmy Butler tore his ACL in mid-January, the mandate for the Warriors has been clear. They need to figure out what their young pieces are capable of as they attempt to build a championship-worthy roster for next season.
Richard has been a surprisingly strong addition for the Warriors this year. After being selected at 56th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, Richard has proved himself as a capable 3-and-D presence. Over his first 39 games, he averaged 7.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while knocking down 37.7% of his attempts from beyond the arc.
Since Butler went down, his minutes have largely stayed the same. But his production has plummeted. In the 10 games he's played since that fateful matchup against the Miami Heat, Richard has averaged just four points while shooting an abysmal 25% from 3-point range.
Hot and cold shooting streaks are natural, especially for a rookie. But Seth Curry's return at this juncture would add another body to an already crowded backcourt.
This would likely not impact Richard's minutes immediately, but it would ramp up the pressure on him to earn his time on the court. Although they need to sort out their roster, Golden State is not tanking. They cannot afford to sacrifice wins to give minutes to a non-factor offensively.
Richard can and will get back on track. Seth Curry's extended absence has merely him more time to do so.