As of now, it's only reasonable to presume the Golden State Warriors will be without Kristaps Porzingis until well into the season—if he returns at all.
Of course, we don't have a definite timeline for his return, so nothing is off the table. But he has yet to even practice with the Warriors after missing the entire preseason slate with an undisclosed health issue. For the foreseeable future, then, it seems like Golden State's path forward involves leaning heavily into a small-ball lineup.
The Warriors tested out different looks during the preseason, but the most viable one appeared to be a combination of Draymond Green at the center spot and Yaxel Lendeborg and Gui Santos at the two forward spots, providing enough offensive juice and floor spacing to keep the whole starting lineup relatively above board. If Porzingis is out long-term, perhaps we'll see Charles Bassey and Al Horford tossed in there at various points to provide more traditional center play.
But it seems, for right now, as though Golden State is committed to this look. There's no player on its roster that can outright replace the unique blend of skill sets that Porzingis provides, and it will be a matter of adjustment and compensation in the aggregate until he's able to return to the court.
Moses Moody certainly can't play center. But even so, the news that the Warriors may be anticipating an early return from the young wing, who seems to be on track to join the team as early as December, could provide a major boost in their efforts to account for Porzingis' absence.
Moses Moody provides the Warriors with an extra dose of versatility in the frontcourt
Needless to say, Moody's injury was a major disappointment when it happened, and it continues to be one as his absence stretches into the first couple months of 2026-27. Prior to tearing his patellar tendon in late March, Moody was having a bit of a career season—averaging 12.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while knocking down 40.1% of his attempts from beyond the arc. He had carved out a bona fide starting role, and he was reaping the benefits with his production.
It's unclear if Moody would take on that same role from the start of this campaign if everyone was healthy. Lendeborg clearly adds an element of size and aggression that the Warriors desperately need in that mix, and either De'Anthony Melton or Brandin Podziemski could offer preferable production in the backcourt next to Stephen Curry depending on the circumstances.
But what's best about Moody, and his team-friendly contract, is that his skill set is highly versatile. In the context of a small-ball lineup, he provides both additional perimeter defense (which will be a crucial aspect of Frank Vogel's freshly-implemented scheme) and consistent perimeter shooting—both of which are things the Warriors are sorely lacking if Melton can't quickly rebound from his poor end to last season.
Moody, of course, could come off the bench when he returns. That might be the right choice, especially if Lendeborg and Santos are clicking to the extent Golden State hopes they will in the starting lineup. Pairing Moody, Melton, and Brandon Williams with, say, a mixture of Georges Niang, Horford, and a smattering of Gary Payton II minutes would provide Golden State with more two-way viability off the bench than they came close to having last season.
But Moody also allows for some versatile looks in a small-ball starting lineup. He could play the small forward spot next to Lendeborg, or he could take on a backcourt role, when needed, to complement Curry as a capable point-of-attack defender. That would, at the very least, give Golden State the option to keep both Santos and Lendeborg in the starting lineup while also maximizing Moody's skill set.
As long as Porzingis remains out, the starting lineup will remain a puzzle for the Warriors to solve on a game-to-game basis. Moody's early return could easily represent a major part of that effort, assuming Porzingis' status as a consistently available big man remains in doubt.
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