Warriors Lottery Pick Primed for ‘Coming-Out Party’ Next Season: Analyst

Getty Moses Moody gestures during a playoff bout between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Jonathan Kuminga may be the most tantalizing prospect on the Golden State Warriors in terms of sheer star potential, but the former No. 7 overall pick may not yet be ready for primetime. Kuminga was an afterthought during the Dubs’ ill-fated playoff run, logging a combined 61 minutes across two rounds of play.

There were also times during the regular season when head coach Steve Kerr wasn’t showing much faith in him, despite Kuminga having entered the campaign with the expectation of taking on a larger role.

On the other end of the spectrum, former No. 14 overall pick Moses Moody was solidly in the rotation for the Warriors as they battled for their postseason lives last month. Over his final five postseason appearances, he logged 18.0 minutes nightly and averaged 6.8 points and 4.2 rebounds while shooting 72.7% from three-point range.

That late-season evolution prompted Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale to namecheck Moody as one of a handful of ballers who “can thrive in bigger roles” in 2023-24.

B/R: Moses Moody Is Ready to Take His Game to a Higher Level for the Warriors

As Favale sees it, Moody’s late-playoff jump wasn’t the destination for the 6-foot-6 wing — it was the jumping-off point for what could go down as an impressive career as a two-way contributor:

Next year should mark a coming-out party for the 21-year-old Moody. He has shown the ability to knock down triples—44 percent on above-the-break looks this year—and visibly improved his floor navigation away from the ball.

His defense is trending up, particularly on-ball, and promises matchup malleability. Golden State has predominantly rolled him out against off-guards and movement shooters, but he sponged up more reps at the point of attack and against bigger forwards in the playoffs.

Getting regular reps (especially in pressure situations) is an essential ingredient to any youngster’s growth in the Association, and that definitely applies to Moody here. Kerr may not have much choice but to boost the Arkansas product’s minute allotment, either:

Guaranteeing Moody more than 13 minutes per game is an obligation. It’s also a necessity. Donte DiVincenzo (player option) is almost certainly leaving in free agency, Klay Thompson isn’t getting any younger (33), and the Warriors won’t have the mid-level exception this summer.

Golden State needs an every-night staple to emerge from its own ranks. Moody is ready.

Ex-Warriors Forward Re-Ups in South Korea

The 2019-20 campaign became a lost season for the Warriors amid Stephen Curry‘s broken hand, Thompson’s ACL tear and Kevin Durant‘s decision to leave the club and sign with the Brooklyn Nets. However, multiple lesser-known players took advantage of those absences by showcasing their games in increased roles.

That includes forward Omari Spellman, who averaged 7.6 points and 4.5 rebounds in 18.1 minutes per contest and connected on 39.1% of his three-point attempts. His biggest contribution, though, may have been serving as part of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ compensation in the Andrew Wiggins trade.

Spellman hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since he was shipped out of the Bay, but his hardwood journey continues nonetheless. The 25-year-old helped Anyang KGC win the Korean Basketball League championship last season and it looks as though he’ll shoot for the back-to-back win next season.

Per an announcement on the team’s Facebook page earlier this week, Spellman has reached an agreement with Anyang KGC to return for 2023-24.

In 62 games with the club in 2022-23, Spellman averaged 19.4 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per contest and shot 35.7% from deep.