The Golden State Warriors are in as good of a spot as possible, given the age and injury concerns of their roster. Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green are all still playing at high levels, and they bolstered their supporting cast with Al Horford.
On top of that, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody are on easily tradable contracts. The Warriors have plenty of draft picks to play with, as well.
On October 8th, the Warriors rallied to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 129-123. Led by 20 points from Quinten Post, the Warriors put together a 51-point fourth quarter to secure the victory.
After the game, one of Golden State’s most tradeable players was compared to an All-Star and NBA champion.
GettySAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 26: Andrew Wiggins #22 and Moses Moody #4 of the Golden State Warriors celebrate a basket during the second quarter against the Dallas Mavericks in Game Five of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Western Conference Finals at Chase Center on May 26, 2022 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Moses Moody Is the Next Andrew Wiggins
Andrew Wiggins had a career resurgence with the Warriors between 2020 and 2025, averaging 16.7 points and shooting 38.1% from 3-point range. He was the best wing defender on the roster.
While Jimmy Butler is a clear upgrade, someone needs to be able to lock down off-ball players on defense, and Moody has flashed some defensive excellence. Last season, he posted a career-high 9.8 points per game on 37.4% shooting from deep, the best mark of his career.
Wiggins is still clearly a better player on both ends of the floor, although Moody is only 23 years old and under contract for the next three seasons on a value deal.
“I love Moses’ path, you know, to come in here and stay with it every time things haven’t worked out for him,” praised Steve Kerr before the game. “I think the trade last year for Jimmy really clarified his role. You know, he got to guard the ball, he got to be in the starting lineup, and he became our point of attack defender like Wiggs was before.”
In theory, the Warriors could start Curry, Moody, Butler, Green, and Horford, giving them plenty of spacing and an elite defense, although Kuminga brings better scoring and athleticism.
Warriors Need to Count on Moody and Kuminga
If the Warriors pull off a trade, Moody ($11.6 million) and Kuminga ($23.4 million) have the easiest salaries to include in a deal. However, the Warriors shouldn’t be eager to part with either, especially not Moody.
In the event that Curry gets injured, Brandin Podziemski is the stopgap backup to keep the Warriors afloat.
For both Green and Butler, Moody is the best option to be an injury replacement, at least on the defensive end of the ball.
Moody got the start in the preseason win over the Blazers and posted ten inefficient points to go with a block and a steal. The regular season hasn’t started yet, so the Warriors don’t have to worry about his 33.3% mark from the field.
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