Moses Moody will remain sidelined through the first half of the season recovering from his torn patellar tendon injury, leaving the Golden State Warriors needing to find at least a temporary replacement before the young wing returns.
That may be part of the thought process behind the seemingly imminent signing of Dalen Terry, with the former Philadelphia 76ers wing bound for a training camp spot with the Warriors after sitting alongside superstar guard Stephen Curry at a recent Golden State Valkyries game earlier this week.
Warriors find temporary Moses Moody replacement with Dalen Terry
Moody and Terry are different players from a skillset perspective. Moody arguably developed into Golden State's best and most reliable 3-point shooter outside Curry before his injury against the Dallas Mavericks in March, while Terry is only a career 31.4% shooter from beyond the arc, including shooting just 25% in his 14 games with the 76ers to end last season.
However, there are also obvious similarities that are impossible to ignore. Both Moody and Terry have just turned 24-years-old, they're both 6'5-6'6" with long 7'1" wingspans that allow them to be versatile and disruptive on the defensive end. Moody was taken 14th overall at the 2021 NBA Draft, while Terry was taken 18th the following year.
There's a chance Terry doesn't even win one of Golden State's final roster spots, let alone actually become part of Steve Kerr's rotation. But at the very least you can see why the front office would have some interest in a player of this age, physical profile and position when the Warriors will start the season without Moody and six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler.
Terry will still have to come from a long way back to earn a rotation role should he make the opening night roster, with the Warriors likely to prioritize other young players like Yaxel Lendeborg, Brandin Podziemski, Gui Santos and Will Richard who are already far more proven.
Dalen Terry move won't save Warriors from underwhelming offseason
Even if Terry can earn a rotational role and make a legitimate impact, it's not going to save the Warriors from what's been an underwhelming offseason after missing out on the likes of LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and others.
Terry holds career averages of 3.5 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists, suggesting the upside is limited even if the former Bulls first-round pick was to spring a surprise and earn rotational minutes early on.
Moody's injury nonetheless opens a pathway for Terry that may not have otherwise been there. Had Moody been healthy come opening night, the Warriors may have opted for a veteran player or left a roster spot open for tax-saving purposes.
Add us as a preferred source on Google