If there's one player that Golden State Warriors fans believe has been chronically under-utilized in recent years, it might be Moses Moody as he prepares for his fifth year in the league after being a lottery selection in 2021.
Whereas many understand the awkward fit with Jonathan Kuminga as he prepares to join the team following the conclusion of his contract stalemate, Moody's inconsistent role under Steve Kerr has often been perplexing for fans in recent seasons.
The young wing did enjoy a consistent role toward the end of last season, before that too fell away due to a drop in form largely caused by a later announced thumb injury that he immediately had offseason surgery on.
Moses Moody could regain a starting role to start the season
With Golden State's offseason additions and the presence of another young player in Brandin Podziemski, the idea of Moody regaining a starting role hasn't been overly prominent. That is until now with Kerr hinting that the 23-year-old is set for a major role, and potentially as a starter alongside the veteran quartet of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Al Horford.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Kerr expects Moody to be the team's primary point-of-attack defender heading into the season, with Podziemski, Kuminga and De'Anthony Melton also likely to be key in that area.
Kerr said the point of attack is "probably the biggest thing for us this year" defensively. Expects Moses Moody to be the primary point-of-attack defender with Brandin Podziemski, Kuminga and Melton playing key roles: "This team is more capable of switching than last year's."
— Sam Gordon (@BySamGordon) October 1, 2025
If Moody does gain the trust of Kerr during preseason as the primary point of attack defender, it would make logical sense for him to start alongside the veteran quartet given none of them are going to necessarily fill that role.
Moody's starting chances also received a boost (albeit an unfortunate one) on Wednesday, with the Warriors confirming that Melton is expected to miss the start of the season as he recovers from his torn ACL injury.
That might leave the remaining starting role down to Moody or Podziemski, the latter of which is the incumbent and may have previously been seen as more likely. Kerr's show of confidence in Moody's defense could flip that on its head though, particularly given his extra size and wingspan which is going to be helpful in guarding some of the league's best offensive players.
In his 14 games as a starter prior to the thumb injury, Moody shot 43.3% from 3-point range and was playing arguably the best basketball of his career. If he can return to anywhere near that level from beyond the arc, he does become a logical fit as a catch-and-shoot threat playing off Curry and Butler.
Kerr will undoubtedly try multiple combinations through preseason, but this might be an early indication of his plans that could include Moody in a starting role. For many fans who believe the former 14th overall pick still has untapped upside in his game, this could be an exciting time in his development.