The Warriors showed up to Chase Center ready to kick off their summer league campaign against the Lakers, but two notable absentees had fans doing a double-take. Newly drafted second-round picks Alex Toohey and Will Richard were nowhere in uniform—and no, it wasn’t a case of “load management: youth edition.”

The reason? Pure NBA paperwork drama. Golden State had originally owned the No. 41 pick but pulled off a double-dip trade fest—first flipping it to Phoenix for No. 52 and 59, then moving from No. 59 to 56 with Memphis. They ended up with Toohey and Richard, two solid prospects, but due to the league year not officially beginning until Sunday morning, the trades weren’t finalized. So, per NBA rules, Toohey and Richard couldn’t play on Saturday.

Basically: the ink wasn’t dry, the suits weren’t ready, and the Warriors had to roll without their shiny new toys. Despite missing their draftees, the Warriors got the job done, outlasting the Lakers 89-84 in the California Classic opener. But it wasn’t pretty at first. Golden State trailed 19-11 after a sluggish first quarter where they looked about as organized as James Harden’s beard grooming schedule.

“We figured out how it was being officiated, and we adjusted as so,” Taran Armstrong explained after the win. “We picked up our physicality, and that made us a lot more competitive, We were able to get to our spots better, and we didn’t get pushed around as much.”

Armstrong’s quote was basically a masterclass in Summer League survival: read the refs, respond like a vet, and don’t let the whistle bully your rhythm.

Rowe to the rescue – Veteran leads the way for the Warriors

With the rookies sidelined, it was Jackson Rowe who stepped up and said, “Fine. I’ll do it myself.” He went full Thanos mode—dropping 13 points, grabbing eight boards, stuffing two shots, and tossing in two steals for good measure. Rowe, now on a two-way contract, didn’t just pad the stat sheet. He set the tone and set the example. “My favorite plays were the defensive plays,” Rowe said. “Getting some blocks and trying to change the momentum of the game.”

And if you’re wondering if he’s got delusions of scoring grandeur? Nope. Dude knows his role better than J.R. Smith forgets the score. “You’re not going to replace Stephen Curry,” Rowe admitted. “It’s like, big surprise, you’re not going to fill that guy’s shoes ever. You gotta think, how can you impact the game in other ways?”

Wise words from a man who earned his spot the hard way—just like Juan Toscano-Anderson once did. Oh, and by the way? Rowe gained 15 pounds of muscle this offseason. Somebody’s clearly been eating like Giannis at a Chick-fil-A drive-thru. Summer League officiating deserves its own Netflix documentary. There’s a 10-foul limit before disqualification—yes, ten. It’s not so much “basketball rules” as it is “vibes and chaos.” Warriors‘ head coach Lainn Wilson made his debut on the sidelines and had a front-row seat to the madness.

“Our intensity level as a team really raised up after halftime,” Wilson said. “They were a really physical team, so our guys after halftime really took it up a notch with their intensity and broke the game open.” The Warriors were whistled for just nine fouls in the first half, while the Lakers racked up 14. But the real adjustment came mentally. Once the Dubs realized they could foul like Dennis Rodman in his prime without fouling out, they hit the jets.

“I think we were getting used to the 10-foul rule,” Rowe added. “Everybody kind of didn’t want to get fouled, and then we realized we got 10 to give.” Translation: once they stopped playing like choirboys and started hacking like it was 1997, the Warriors turned the tide.

With the paperwork expected to clear before Sunday’s 3:30 p.m. PT matchup against the Spurs, fans can finally expect Alex Toohey and Will Richard to hit the hardwood. Both bring different skill sets—Toohey with his Aussie versatility and Richard with that Florida swagger—but both fit Golden State’s brand of basketball like Draymond fits into chaos.

And with players like Rowe already fighting for a roster spot like it’s the 2001 SlamBall Finals, the competition is only going to heat up. Best part? Bronny James didn’t even play in the game.

But if Saturday was any indication, these summer league Warriors already understand the assignment: grit, adjust, and punch back harder than a Ja Morant dunk attempt.

No rookies? No problem. The Warriors turned a bureaucratic headache into a gritty win over the Lakers. Taran Armstrong showed leadership. Jackson Rowe showed muscle. And Coach Wilson showed he might just know how to push the right buttons already. If this is how the summer starts, we can’t wait to see what happens when the full squad is finally unleashed.

Let the summer madness continue—Warriors style.