For the Golden State Warriors, much of what has gone wrong in recent years stems from the brief period in which the team was an utter wasteland–in 2020 and 2021, years that produced two lottery picks for the team, plus another that came from the Timberwolves. In all, the Warriors had prime picks in back-to-back drafts, with Stephen Curry still on the roster. And for the most part they blew it, going with James Wiseman at No. 2 in 2020 Jonathan Kuminga at No. 7 in 2021. But they did one thing right: They brought in Moses Moody.
Moody has been everything those other Warriors picks were not–diligent, consistent and hard-working. In his time with the Warriors, coaches and staff have grown fond of Moody’s humble personality and eagerness to learn. Coach Steve Kerr once told me, “Moses Moody is beloved, he is a guy everyone loves. Teammates and coaches but also just like, the office staff, the attendants, security. Everyone.”
And so it would be a very, very difficult decision for the Warriors to move forward with a key part of their LeBron James plan: They would likely have to trade Moody to create room for James.
Warriors Would Prefer to Keep Moses Moody
The Warriors would like to keep Moody. But he is coming back from a difficult knee injury he suffered in March, in which he tore his patellar tendon. There is still no timeline on Moody’s return, as there is a wide range of recovery times from his surgery and the risk of setbacks. It’s entirely possible Moody will miss all of next year.
He is only 24, so that’s hardly the worst news. But the Warriors are on an accelerated schedule here, especially if James were to come to the Bay. Stephen Curry is 38–there is not much time to waste. If the Warriors can’t be sure when or if Moody can make it back, they’d be in a bind.
Moses Moody Injury Return Remains Cloudy
But Moody has fans around the NBA. He has gotten better every year he has been in the league and has developed a reputation for being a rugged perimeter defender–something every team in the NBA needs. He averaged 12.1 points last season and shot 40.1% from the 3-point line, with a reasonable contract worth $26 million over the next two years. Teams in less of a hurry than the Warriors value him.
“He has value for sure,” one Western Conference executive said. “He might have to miss a year, but he’d be an investment.”
Warriors Want More Continuity
As much as Kerr professes to love Moody, remember, too, that he said when he came back with the Warriors after pondering retirement that one thing that needs to change this season is that the Warriors can’t have as much in-and-out with their lineups as they had last season. Moody would require kid gloves when, and if, he is back.
Kerr wants to limit the need for such caution.
As he said in a May press conference: ““I do think it’s important that we don’t have the vast number of players who couldn’t play back-to-back. We can’t do that again. It’s too hard to build continuity.”
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