While the Golden State Warriors have made their intentions clear this off-season to pursue a playmaking wing for their starting line-up, young guard Moses Moody, were his development to continue in a positive direction, could be the piece they are looking for.
Moody, 22, struggled heavily in the playoffs after taking major steps forward during the regular season, leading, in part, to the Warriors' elimination.
Now, as his team heads into the off-season, it is unclear whether Moody will get another chance next season to prove himself as a starter for Golden State. However, his potential is certainly there, and, if the right move does not reveal itself for the Warriors, Moody could certainly become exactly what this team needs to continue their push for another title.
Moses Moody has the skill-set the Warriors need
Moody, after getting the opportunity to start in the wake of the acquisition of Jimmy Butler and the departure of Andrew Wiggins, had a monster stretch that proved his value to the team. Despite his late season slump, Moody still averaged 11.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists through his final 33 games of the season.
Moreover, he shot a respectable 35.2% from 3-point range during that span: a number that can reach even higher levels when his shot is right.
However, his performance in the playoffs inspired severe doubt in his continued viability as a starter. Through 12 playoff games, Moody averaged only 7.1 points, shooting 33.3% from beyond the arc.
As Golden State attempts to tweak its roster around its veteran core, it has been reported that they have interest in acquiring a playmaking and defending wing to help solidify the team's rotation.
While a move for any number of starting caliber players around the NBA would help the Warriors immensely, the financial situation would more than likely be very difficult to sort out.
Golden State owes the trio of Butler, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green a roughly combined $130 million next season, and any moves to add on to that core would almost certainly take some creative cap maneuvering.
Moody, meanwhile, will be on his second season of a ridiculously cost effective four-year, $17 million contract.
If his scoring can become more consistent, Moody provides the team the lengthy defender they need to continue to anchor one of the league's top defenses. Across all of last season, Moody posted a 107.6 defensive rating, the best of all Warriors who played major minutes.
While there is certainly an upgrade over Moody available somewhere on the market, Golden State must factor Moody's potential into their considerations of whether the price for such a player would be worth it.