Although the Golden State Warriors have won 10 of their last 15 games after a 3-7 start, by no means are they out of the woods yet.
Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins have been playing sensational ball, while Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole may be getting their mojo back, but there is a sense that the team’s young contributors haven’t been getting the job done.
Guard Moses Moody, the 14th overall pick in last year’s NBA Draft, was perhaps poised for a somewhat bigger role this season, but head coach Steve Kerr has played him inconsistently of late.
A few days ago, Moody admitted that he’s feeling some frustration about his scant playing time.
Moses Moody says “it sucks” that he hasn’t been part of a rotation. Says it’s more challenging for him this season than last because he feels like he’s ready to contribute this year, where as last year he didn’t know if he could. But he’s trying to maintain a positive outlook.
— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) December 4, 2022
Moody’s Production Has Been Inconsistent
When Golden State drafted Moody, as well as Jonathan Kuminga, in 2021, it imagined both men being broken in gradually and giving it the luxury of reducing the minutes of Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green in order to keep them fresh for the playoffs.
Moody, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard, hasn’t produced on a consistent basis, as his shooting percentages have fluctuated from game to game.
Since mid-November, he has even gone scoreless six times.
Publicly, Kerr has tried to vouch for Moody.
Steve Kerr on Moses Moody’s minutes: “Moses is someone I believe in as a human being. It takes a lot of character to come off the bench and shake all the cobwebs off and hit those big shots and play important minutes.”
— Shayna Rubin (@ShaynaRubin) December 4, 2022
The Warriors Need To Prioritize Winning Over Player Development
Golden State is going after its fifth NBA championship in the last nine seasons, which means it isn’t in a position to throw its young players into the fire and let them develop.
At this point, players such as Moody, Kuminga and James Wiseman are more of a luxury, and as frustrating as it may be for them, they need to wait their turn.
With Curry turning 35 in March and Green and Thompson nearing their 33rd birthdays, that turn may come not too long from now.
NEXT: Steph Curry Lands A Series Of Jaw-Dropping Shots