Overview
- Richard suffered the injury during Saturday's overtime win over the Orlando Magic and the Warriors placed him on the official injury report with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb.
- The team has listed him out indefinitely while medical staff decide between surgery and a non‑surgical approach such as playing with a splint.
- Medical estimates cited in coverage put recovery for partial UCL tears at roughly 4–8 weeks and recovery after surgery at multiple months, with Keegan Murray’s recent thumb surgery and 15‑game absence given as a precedent.
- The loss removes a regular 17.2‑minute bench/spot‑starter contributor who offered point‑of‑attack defense and 42.9% three‑point shooting, so the Warriors plan to shift his minutes to De'Anthony Melton, Brandon Williams, Gary Payton II and Gui Santos.
- Richard’s absence compounds other roster uncertainties on the Warriors such as Kristaps Porzingis’ status and injuries to Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody, so the key things to watch are the doctors’ treatment decision and how the rotation holds up without his defensive energy.