Moses Moody's devastating torn patellar tendon injury has put another dent in the Golden State Warriors plans to start next season, but it does give them a clear need for the front office to address in the summer.
Having lost Moody and Jimmy Butler to long-term injuries, the Warriors need to address their wing depth. They could look to do so in free agency or in a trade, but their best option may be in the form of drafting Yaxel Lendeborg with their expected lottery pick.
Yaxel Lendeborg becomes even clearer Warriors option after Moses Moody injury
Lendeborg has been projected anywhere between 10-17 in recent mock drafts, putting him right in the sweet spot of where Golden State are likely to be drafting unless they find some real luck at the lottery.
Lendeborg is a player who could step in and play big minutes for the Warriors right away, potentially even as a starter as Butler and Moody recover from their injuries. Their losses and the impact on next season was discussed by head coach Steve Kerr prior to Wednesday's win over the Brooklyn Nets, placing no secret about the positional need heading into the summer.
Kerr: “It's one thing to suffer season ending injuries, but when those injuries impact the following season as well, it's pretty dramatic. And Moses and Jimmy are obviously our two starting wings. So huge loss.“ https://t.co/HeUpTx5f4z
— Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) March 26, 2026
Given he'll be 24 by opening night next season, there are question marks on Lendeborg's upside in the NBA and potential as a future star. That might not matter to teams in need of immediate rotation help, with Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report sending the 6'9" forward to the Milwaukee Bucks at the 10th overall pick in a recent mock draft.
"Maybe they (Bucks) decide they'd just get more win-now mileage out of Lendeborg, who looks like a readymade role player. He can clearly contribute to winning (check Michigan's dominant 31-2 record for evidence of that)...He is versatile and disruptive on defense, active on the glass, and fully capable of being a two-way playmaker," Buckley wrote.
Warriors can't necessarily afford a project with this year's lottery pick
The same perspective can be applied to the Warriors. Presumably they have ambitions of being a deep playoff threat next season, meaning they must make the most of all their roster spots given Butler and Moody will start on the sidelines.
They can't really afford to take a project player who needs a year or two to become a rotation player. Lendeborg is the epitome of a plug-and-play option, having averaged 14.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.3 blocks with the Michigan Wolverines this season.
Lendeborg was already a strong option for the Warriors given his prospective fit in their system, but this Moody injury now makes him an even likelier selection if he's still on the board at their lottery pick.