As the Golden State Warriors round out the first month of the NBA season, there has been much to be pleased, and frustrated, with in their play on a night-to-night basis.
Yet, while Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler have stepped up as always, their season to this point has been defined by the inconsistent play of their supporting cast, and, surprisingly, it appears as though their ceiling as contenders might ultimately be determined by the performance of players such as Moses Moody.
The Warriors were at their best last season when Moody was an effective starter, and his impact on both ends of the court, even if he is ultimately not in the starting lineup, will be absolutely vital to raise this team's ceiling.
Warriors need Moses Moody at his best in order to raise their ceiling
Last season, Moody was elevated to the starting lineup following the roster shakeup that the Jimmy Butler trade instigated, and he took full advantage of the opportunity. After he began a starter in the last quarter of the season, he averaged 10.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 36.8% from beyond the arc.
While these numbers do not necessarily pop off the page, his impact as a spacer and as a capable, lengthy defender were immeasurable insofar as they enabled Golden State to become one of the most lethal teams in the league on both sides of the court by the end of the season.
This year, however, things have been different. Since Moody returned from the calf injury that delayed the start of his season, he has started only half of the games he has played in (and also scored in single digits eight separate times), and, while he has been overtly impactful when he has been at his best, the Warriors will need more consistency out of him as quickly as possible.
On paper, Moody looks to be continuing the strides he took last season. Through his first 16 games, he's averaging 12.3 points, three rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 42.6% from 3-point range.
Yet, no matter whether he's starting or coming off the bench, this team is at their best when they can depend on Moody on a nightly basis to be a productive scorer.
While Curry and Butler will always be the leaders of this team, their age necessitates that the Warriors have a strong supporting cast in order to allow them to propel the team into championship contention.
Brandin Podziemski, Will Richard and, eventually, De'Anthony Melton will all prove to be options to start next to Curry in the backcourt. Yet, Moody, as a capable perimeter shooter and a viable defender, has the potential to raise Golden State's ceiling in a way that these players do not.
If the Warriors are going to depend on him in this manner, they need him to be at his best night-in and night-out.