Warriors in line to get major steal and huge boost entering regular season

With less than a week until the October 21 deadline, there could be some movement for the Golden State Warriors and a contract extension for fourth-year wing Moses Moody.

Amid an impressive preseason that's seen his value soar by the game, Moody's signature on a new deal could come at just the right time for the Warriors before a true breakout year fully develops.

Moses Moody's next contract could be a major steal for the Warriors

According to Anthony Slater of The Athletic on Wednesday, the Warriors and Moody's representatives have spoke about a deal in line with previous reporting on his value between $11-13 million per year.

"The Warriors and Moody’s representatives have discussed the framework of a possible deal, league sources said, near the midlevel exception range for multiple seasons," Slater wrote.

Golden State signed De'Anthony Melton to a one-year deal at the mid-level exception ($12.8 million) in free agency during the summer, with the MLE expected to jump to around $13.5 million in 2025.

As previously outlined here, if the Warriors can get Moody on a three-year contract at less than $40 million, or a four-year deal at around $52 million, that could prove a massive steal and quickly become the definition of a team-friendly contract.

The 22-year-old has been arguably the most impressive performer across Golden State's five preseason games to date, having led the team in scoring in three of the last four outings. That included a 21-point display against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, with Moody nailing five threes and adding five rebounds in the 111-97 victory.

Moody has averaged a team-high 15.8 points in preseason on 43.3% shooting from three-point range, while Golden State have been 45 points better than their opposition in his 102 minutes on the floor.

The key question now remains whether a more solidified role will translate to the regular season, or if Moody will again fall victim to the deep Warrior rotation? It's that uncertainty that could lead him to getting some long-term security now, rather than take the risk of heading into restricted free agency next offseason.

As Slater points out, a breakout season could double Moody's value to the point of attracting a $20+ million per year deal in free agency. From that aspect it behooves the franchise to try and get something done now, with very little risk for the Warriors if they can secure Moody in the MLE range.

There's also something to be said for the potential morale boost of a player getting a new contract on the eve of the season, and the flow-on effects it could provide themselves and teammates. The opposite could be true on Jonathan Kuminga though, with Danny Emerman of The Mercury News reporting on Tuesday that the former seventh overall pick and the Warriors aren’t close to striking a deal.