Injury-hit Golden State Warriors provide positive update on young wing

The Golden State Warriors have confirmed that Moses Moody is nearing a return to the floor, with the third-year wing having missed the last seven games due to a calf strain.

After tallying an impressive equal season-high 21 points in nearly 25 minutes, Moody suffered the injury in the fourth-quarter of the Warriors' blowout loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on January 10.

A return to the Golden State Warriors' lineup is imminent for Moses Moody, though it will be a longer wait for veteran point-guard Chris Paul

Golden State announced on Tuesday that Moody was making good progress and had been cleared to practice, opening up the expectation of a return in the short-term. The former lottery pick's calf strain had come at a frustrating time after he'd just earned his way back into Steve Kerr's rotation.

Moody controversially received three-straight DNP's a month ago, leading to speculation regarding his future with the franchise. Injuries to Chris Paul and Gary Payton II reopened the door for Moody who was well on his way to making the most of the opportunity.

The 6'6" wing had 21 points on 7-of-9 shooting (4-of-6 from three-point range) against the Toronto Raptors on January 7, before recording another 21 points until the untimely injury against the Pelicans.

Moody's return will be important for a short-handed Warrior rotation who remain without Paul and Payton. The latter missed his 11th-straight game in Golden State's 119-107 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, while Paul was missing his ninth in a row following surgery to repair a fractured left hand.

Having suffered the injury on January 5 against the Detroit Pistons, the Warriors announced Paul has been cleared to begin light on-court individual workouts. However, the 38-year-old remains some weeks away, with Paul to be re-evaluated in a fortnight.

With the NBA trade deadline just over a week away, there remains a chance that one or both of Moody and Paul have played their last game for the franchise. The pair may be the most likely Warrior players to be moved outside of 2022 All-Star Andrew Wiggins, though the chances of a trade actually appear to be decreasing as the deadline draws near.