Moody compared to veteran teammate, but is it enough for spot in Warriors rotation?

Not for the first time in his career, Moses Moody dusted off the cobwebs to provide a significant impact for the Golden State Warriors in their 123-112 win over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday at Capital One Arena.

Having been out of Steve Kerr's rotation completely in Sunday's loss to the Denver Nuggets, Moody was all of a sudden thrust into a starting role against the Wizards thanks to the absence of Andrew Wiggins who was out due to personal reasons.

Did Moses Moody's performance against the Washington Wizards prove enough to return him to a full-strength Golden State Warriors' rotation?

Moody responded to the challenge the only way he knows how -- with a professional approach and a minimum of fuss. It wasn't a standout performance by any means, but the 21-year-old did enough on both ends of the floor to signify his impact.

That included four made threes in seven attempts, highlighted by a nasty snatch-back triple that viciously felled Wizards' guard Landry Shamet during the second-quarter. Moody often found himself diving around for loose balls, including a notable steal and save in the third-quarter that led to a Jonathan Kuminga dunk on the other end.

Having played more than nine minutes just once in the last seven games prior to Tuesday, Moody's 22 and a half minutes against the Wizards were his most since injuring his calf back on January 10.

Kerr was full of praise for the third-year wing after the game, comparing Moody to veteran teammate Kevon Looney for his no-nonsense nature and ability to stay ready at any moment.

"I loved what Moses did. Didn't surprise me at all -- he's such a pro, he's such a great young guy, just so high character. To put him in the starting lineup and to have him come out and play the way he did, it didn't surprise me."

- Steve Kerr on Moses Moody

Wiggins will miss Thursday's game against the New York Knicks, but assuming he returns to the lineup in the short-term, was Moody's performance on Tuesday enough to warrant a place in the rotation? He certainly outperformed veteran forward Dario Saric, which is exactly where the debate should hinge right now.

Saric's form has continued to waver over recent weeks, with the Croatian scoring just five points on 2-of-5 shooting, failing to grab a rebound, and finishing a -3 in his nearly 14 minutes against the Wizards.

While they don't play the same role, there's enough flexibility in the Warrior rotation to prioritize Moody should Kerr feel motivated. Not only would that decision be warranted based on current form, but it would also be a beneficial move for the future beyond this season.