Will Warriors’ ‘numbers sport’ doom Moses Moody once more in 2024-25?

Gleaning what seem to be significant takeaways from preseason basketball is all the time silly, and the Golden State Warriors did not precisely conduct Saturday’s exhibition opener like they’d a playoff sport. Stephen Curry and Draymond Inexperienced had been performed by halftime in Honolulu, whereas coach Steve Kerr went a full 19-deep into his bench earlier than a red-hot Lindy Waters III despatched Golden State to a buzzer-beating 91-90 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Preseason video games within the NBA aren’t even costume rehearsals. They appear a lot nearer to glorified scrimmages than what followers throughout the globe might be watching as soon as the common season suggestions off on October twenty second. However there are not less than personnel tendencies and stylistic tendencies for analysts and die-hards to to watch earlier than the 82-game grind begins—particularly people who affirm prior assumptions or carry over from earlier seasons.

Moses Moody scored 12 factors, grabbed 4 rebounds and swiped two steals in 13 minutes in opposition to LA, cashing two of his 5 tries from deep. It was the kind of efficiency that sparks optimism about his current and future, hinting at actual if marginal improvement simply in time for restricted free company subsequent summer season or possibly even a contract extension with the Dubs earlier than the deadline passes in a pair weeks.

The issue? Moody served as Golden State’s eleventh man within the group’s preseason debut, leaving him outdoors Kerr’s projected rotation even with Andrew Wiggins sidelined by sickness.

That irritating dynamic was little question acquainted to Moody. Much more informal members of Dub Nation are keenly conscious of simply how tough it has been for Moody to discover a constant position with the Warriors the previous two seasons, his efficiency as soon as he lastly acquired on the ground seemingly ignored by the teaching workers for higher or worse.

Do not be shocked if that very same situation performs out in 2024-25. Regardless of shedding Klay Thompson in free company and letting Chris Paul stroll, the similar roster crunch that squeezed Moody out of standard minutes final season may doom him once more.

“It is a numbers sport,” Kerr stated Monday of Moody’s potential place within the rotation. “The one factor any of those guys can do is exit and have an important camp and make it actually arduous on us as decision-makers. Moses is having an important camp; he is enjoying nice. All he can do is preserve doing what he is doing.”

Moses Moody’s sensible place with new-look Warriors

There was an early notion over the summer season that Moses Moody may step proper into the footwear left by Thompson in Golden State’s backcourt. However that was earlier than full parameters of the sign-and-trade that despatched Thompson to the Dallas Mavericks had been revealed, bringing one other veteran guard into the fold—together with free agent signee De’Anthony Melton—who would compete with Moody for enjoying time.

Buddy Hield, to be clear, is not in line to start out subsequent to Stephen Curry at guard. However buying a specialist to assist deal with their greatest want of three-point capturing solely additional complicates Moody’s path to a dependable game-by-game position with the Warriors this season—notably as a result of goals of him beginning have already been dashed.

Melton or Brandin Podziemski appear certain to open at nominal capturing guard alongside Curry, affording Golden State further playmaking and tempo Moody simply cannot present. Whoever comes off the bench between them is basically locked in because the Warriors’ first small off the bench, with Jonathan Kuminga or Trayce Jackson-Davis enjoying a equally pivotal reserve position relying whether or not Kerr opts to start out greater or smaller.

That is seven gamers assured rotation minutes with out accounting for Hield, certain for enjoying time resulting from his mix of quantity, accuracy and motion from deep as Golden State stresses the necessity to generate triples. Kyle Anderson would not assist in that regard, however offers ancillary playmaking and positional versatility on protection the Warriors need up entrance. If Kevon Looney is on the surface wanting in with three bigs already forward of him, that leaves Moody vying for court docket time with franchise favourite Gary Payton II, a defensive dynamo who ignites transition and boasts a passing and screening mind-meld with Curry.

We might know by now if Moody had made the key leap going into 2024-25 that his most staunch proponents have lengthy believed is coming. He is a stable three-point shooter at worst who can successfully drive a close-out with two or three dribbles, doubling as a disruptive assist defender with energetic palms on the opposite finish. However the lack of suddenness and explosiveness that forestalls Moody from getting all the best way to the rim and serving as an ace on-ball defender persists, and there is not any indication he is improved sufficient on the strongest points of his sport to compensate for these deficiencies.

Staff context is all the things for reserves within the NBA. Nobody is denying that Moody may make a sustained impression off the pine for a group mild on above replacement-level wings That frequent information is more likely to get him paid come July even when the 22-year-old is generally caught towards the top of the bench this season, largely getting burn in circumstances of accidents or particular matchups.

Both approach, Moses Moody’s play in 2024-25 is pivotal for not simply his place with the Warriors, however the league at giant. How he’ll get sufficient enjoying time to show his lasting value to Golden State and even one other franchise, although, stays to be as essentially the most vital season of his younger profession begins.