Moses Moody's name has been bandied in trade rumors this offseason as the Golden State Warriors pursued LeBron James, but Stephen Curry's recent appearance in Arkansas sends a strong message on the future of the young wing.
Curry recently accepted Moody's invitation to his home state to play in a golf tournament set up by he and his foundation. As Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic eloquently outlined, it speaks to the bond between Curry and Moody while also suggesting that the 24-year-old is very much part of the Warriors' future despite recent rumors and his current injury status.
Stephen Curry's Arkansas appearance sends message on Moses Moody
The two-time MVP is very giving with his time, but he wouldn't just do this for anyone. He also wouldn't likely do it for a player he believes the Warriors were going to trade, though there were strong reports of Golden State's willingness to dump Moody's contract to give James the non-taxpayer mid-level exception in free agency.
Even after James' decision to head to the Philadelphia 76ers, there's speculation that the Warriors could use Moody's contract to find a meaningful roster upgrade. Yet this has been an offseason of running it back for Golden State, and Thompson's words after speaking to Curry and Moody says everything about the latter's security at the franchise.
"His (Moody's) character earned him a significant space in the Warriors’ ecosystem. It’s part of the reason he remains while others have departed. And if his recovery is tied to his constitution, it’s why Curry and the Warriors can put their hope in his returning to his former level. He’s the type they bet on," Thompson wrote.
Moody suffered a devastating and gruesome torn patellar tendon injury against the Dallas Mavericks in late March, but a promising update on his rehabilitation suggests he could be back around next year's All-Star break.
Moses Moody is worth Warriors taking gamble on
It's not just Moody's character that stands as reason why the Warriors are gambling on his positive return from injury. He's still only 24 and has time on his side to not just get back to who he was prior to the injury, but actually improve further and become a bonafide part of Golden State's starting lineup.
Moody enjoyed a career-best season before the injury, averaging 12.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.0 steal while shooting 40.1% from 3-point range -- shading Curry's 39.3% to lead Golden State for any player who took more than 30 attempts on the season.
In some respects the career-best form made the timing of the injury even worse, but it also offers hope that Moody can return and become an incredibly value piece of the Warriors' plans moving forward.
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