Among many of the Warriors’ inconsistencies this past 2023-24 NBA season was Moses Moody's playing time.
From the start of the season, the 21-year-old, who was selected No. 14 overall by the Warriors in the 2021 NBA Draft, faced rotation irregularities that, ultimately, followed him throughout Golden State’s unsteady season.
As coach Steve Kerr and Co. prepare for what is expected to be a busy offseason from a roster-rebuilding standpoint, some of the questions asked of Golden State's decision-makers on Thursday centered around the guard’s potential role next season.
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“Yeah, I think the good and bad of the situation with Moses is, first he's improved, he's gotten a lot better, and on top of it, I think any issues with him playing, frankly, is a result of our depth, which is also a good thing,” Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. told reporters. “But in the end, you're right, he hasn't probably played as much as we would like and there hasn't been a clear enough path.
"So that will be something we'll look at. I think it's really important coming into Year 4 for him that there is some reasonable playing time available for him where he can impact our team and be out there and continue to improve, and I think that's a fair thing.”
With Brandin Podziemski's emergence and Klay Thompson battling for minutes off the bench for the first time in his illustrious Warriors career, Moody was caught in an unfavorable position within Kerr’s scheme, limiting his season minute average to 17.5 throughout 66 games played.
To Kerr, who has faced plenty of pressing questions surrounding Moody’s inconsistent playing time and DNPs, the guard has improvements to make ahead of a pivotal season.
Golden State Warriors
“I think there's a crowded field of people in Moses' realm, where he is on our roster,” Kerr told reporters. “There's a lot of other guys. He's a really good player, and he's a young player who still has a lot of room for growth. “Decision-making at both ends needs to improve, quicker decisions, quicker rotations defensively, recognition of patterns. I've told him directly I want him to get his shot off quicker. I think he should be an excellent 3-point shooter.
“There are times where he's open and he doesn't shoot it, he drives it, and we immediately lose the advantage. So, these are all things that we're trying to help him with and, again, he's in his third year, he hasn't played a ton, so you need reps to improve on this stuff.”
The Arkansas product has seen his NBA minutes increase year after year, but as he heads into his fourth season, it’s expected that the player will continue to demand a larger role within the team.
After all, Moody’s 8.1 points, 3.0 rebounds and 0.9 assists this season – all career highs – are a reflection of his continued growth.
That said, Kerr currently has the keys to Moody’s activity on the floor, and it’s still not entirely clear whether or not he will grant the guard a major role as the Warriors look to keep a dying dynasty alive next season.
“Yeah, I think next year's a big year for Moses,” Kerr added. “I would love to get him out there more. But when you look at the roster, hey, there's just a lot of people, and we haven't always been able to get him on the floor. We always look at combinations.
“I think that's the key thing to remember. Any time you think, well so and so needs to play more, if you're making that observation, you have to recognize that we make our decisions on combinations. The game's about five players fitting together.
“Frankly, there are some combinations that have not fit together, and that limits our ability to play certain guys. So, those are all factors in Moses's development, in his prospects going forward. I will say it again: He's one of the most high-character young players I've ever been around.
“The way he handles adversity, he's just very practical, he's been raised so well. He's a wonderful young guy, and I'm always pulling for him and I want him to succeed. Frankly, he needs more opportunity, for sure.”
But one thing does sound certain: Moody will get a fair share of opportunities to turn his inconsistencies around in what will be a major 2024-25 season for him and Golden State.