The Golden State Warriors’ drafting history has been a bit tumultuous over the past few years. Despite losing many of their first-round picks and experiencing significant roster turnover since their 2022 title, Golden State has kept Moses Moody as a rotational piece of the team.
In an interview on The Young Man and the Three podcast, Moody shared his first experience with four-time champion and the NBA’s all-time leading three-point shooter, Steph Curry. Moody recalled that in his first Warriors’ practice, he made an immediate mark on the future Hall of Fame guard.
“One of my first times, I ripped him and I’m a rookie, I’m just coming in so I’m feeling good about it,” Moody said. “And it’s like I just felt everybody in the room kind of like ‘ohhhh, like he don’t know.’ And then Steph did what Steph do and go crazy and all that and I’m like, ‘OK, that feeling was right.‘ I knew what I felt, everybody knew what was about to go down.”
Moody has played for Golden State the last four seasons, each year seeing an increase in minutes, scoring, assists, and steals per game. Last year, he averaged a career-high 9.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists on 43.3% shooting.
Moody’s Initial Thoughts On Curry, Green, And The Warriors
Moody arrived in Golden State alongside Jonathan Kuminga in the 2021 Draft, after the Warriors missed out on the postseason for the second year in a row. He started 11 games in his first year while they went on to win the 2022 title.
“A lot of (what I learned my rookie year) was just sitting on that bench,” Moody said. “Like I messed up, I didn’t come over on defense, I’m thinking nobody noticed. But nah, everybody noticed…So I think that realization was like ‘Okay, I need to figure everything out.‘”
Moody also mentioned what it was like learning from Curry in practice and games, specifically when he talks on the court.
“He’s not loud, he don’t talk crazy but like, he’s like, he’s so good that like when he’s talking, he’s helping you almost,” Moody said. “Like, he’s just playing. He don’t talk a lot, it’s not in a conniving type of way, it’s genuine.”
Moody also commented on Draymond Green, saying that he appreciated the mentor role Green has taken for him.
“I used to go to Dray’s room on the road all the time and just sit there and talk to him and ask questions,” Moody recalled. “He’s good with words. He’s able to put thoughts into words and explain them to you in a way you understand really well. I still go and hang out with him and learn all types of stuff.”
The advice Moody received from Curry and Green has paid off. His numbers have increased each year on the Warriors, and he signed a three-year $37.5 million contract extension with the team before last season.
Golden State’s Quiet Offseason
While Moody signed an extension to stay in Golden State, the same can’t yet be said for Kuminga. The wing is in a standstill with the franchise in hopes of landing a big extension, but nothing has come yet.
Recent reports say that Kuminga expects to stay with the Warriors next season, but they haven’t agreed on a contract yet. He may sign his qualifying offer for $7.9 million, but Kuminga hopes to land something closer to three years, worth $20-$30 million annually.
This contract dispute has been detrimental for Golden State so far this summer, as they are the only team in the NBA yet to add any players in free agency. Many expect them to land former Boston Celtics big man Al Horford while also bringing back De’Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II.
Regardless, nothing has happened yet, and nothing will likely happen until Golden State figures out the Kuminga situation.
In a recent post on Threads, Green said that he and Curry are happy with the job general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. has done this offseason, and that “The job is so much bigger than you all see.”
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