Veteran guard Stephen Curry would reportedly prefer that the Golden State Warriors not trade Moses Moody, who is expected to miss the first half of the new season after suffering a ruptured left patellar tendon in March.
According to The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson, Curry and Moody have developed a strong bond since the latter was drafted by the Warriors in 2021. So much so that Curry recently traveled to Arkansas just to participate in a charitable golf tournament (the annual Motivate One Summer Series) organized by his beloved teammate.
“His (Moody’s) character earned him a significant space in the Warriors’ ecosystem,” Thompson wrote of Moody after interviewing him at the Arkansas event.
“It’s part of the reason he remains while others have departed. And if his recovery is tied to his constitution, it’s why Curry and the Warriors can put their hope in his returning to his former level. He’s the type they bet on.”
Building on Thompson’s point, James Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga—once expected to form Golden State’s future core alongside Moody—are both gone. Meanwhile, Brandin Podziemski, a restricted free agent next year, is far from guaranteed to stay. Moody, though, seems destined to remain in the Bay for years.
Moses Moody-Stephen Curry Bond
And Curry may be the reason.
Moody, who underwent surgery four months ago, could not play a round of golf with Curry, new Detroit Pistons guard Isaiah Joe and golfer John Daly II. But he watched his teammate from afar with the same reverence he does on a basketball court.
“It’s different even just seeing him here, talking to him in Arkansas,” Moody said of Curry as he recovers from a torn left patellar tendon.
“That’s a crazy concept to me. I met Steph Curry five years ago, and now he’s here in Arkansas. … You can say you like somebody. You can say you rock with somebody. But to actually come and do something like this, it really just makes me feel good about myself, for one, and it’s cool to know he thinks so highly of me.”
Warriors Trade Options Limited
Curry lavished praise on his younger teammate’s character, explaining why they’re able to connect despite their vast age gap.
“Even though there is a 15-year-old age gap, which is crazy because he feels like the same age,” Curry said of his friendship with Moody.
“Sometimes he feels older than me, for sure. Just his curiosity for life. The questions he has. Just the spirit he has,” continued the two-time NBA MVP.
“And that was from Day 1. … And you kind of understand it means so much to him to be able to have this weekend and this presence here. When he asked me, it was kind of a no-brainer. What makes it even more special is how invested he is, and his family is, in the work they’re doing here.”
Even if the Warriors do choose to move Moody, they’d be hard-pressed to find too many takers due to the fifth-year guard’s injury recovery. Ditto with Jimmy Butler, who is expected to miss at least the first half of the season due to an ACL injury.
The dual injuries mean the Warriors are projected to once again finish as a play-in team at best, unless they can pull off a blockbuster midseason trade. Moody has two full seasons left on the three-year, 37.5M contract he signed with the Warriors in 2024.
Warriors’ Stephen Curry Sends Clear Message on Key Player Amid Trade Rumors