Golden State Warriors’ rookies have made a powerful first impression

NBA Draft night was a moment of clarity for the Golden State Warriors and their fans. After selecting Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody — there was a sudden feeling of “oh, we are really doing this” for the entire franchise.

Yes, the Warriors made the bold decision to forego any potential trades and double-down on their commitment to building for the future. Juggling these mismatched timelines will be a challenge but the front office made it clear this is what they are invested in by not pulling the trigger on any draft-night deals.

Though there was some concern about the latest batch of lottery picks for the Golden State Warriors, the rookies have made a strong first impression.

Fortunately for everybody, the incoming rookies have wasted no time getting their feet wet in the Las Vegas Summer League. Both Moody and Kuminga have shined bright enough to relieve some anxiety, at least for now.

Kuminga, in particular, appeared to be much more polished than we previously thought. The lanky forward flashed his skills as a ball-handler as he crossed his way to the hoop routinely. He’s averaging 17.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals as an enticing two-way prospect.

He still has room to grow as a shooter. Kuminga connected on fewer than 30 percent of his 3-point attempts despite showing relatively decent mechanics. The 18-year-old did manage to drill 3-of-6 deep shots against the Toronto Raptors, however.

As for Moody, he’ll likely enter the league as an immediate 3-point threat. He knocked down 40 percent of his attempts, drilling close to three per game. Moody is effective in moving off-ball into catch-and-shoot opportunities and gained some experience scoring off the dribble during Summer League, as well.

These two gave us everything we could have hoped to see during the offseason. Both will have to prove they can successfully make the leap to the NBA level but this first impression has been one to remember.