The off-season misery continues for the Golden State Warriors, as they walk on eggshells once again. After the heartbreaking departure of Klay Thompson, the Dubs determinedly pursued Lauri Markkanen as a potential superstar wingman for Stephen Curry. However, it didn’t materialize despite multiple attempts. Now that the Bay Area moved on from the Utah Jazz, they can comfortably look at other available options like Dorian Finney-Smith and Cam Johnson, but NBA insider Anthony Slater warned against it.
An opportunity missed: Lauri Markkanen
The Golden State Warriors’ desire to acquire Lauri Markkanen stemmed from their necessity to replace Klay Thompson. Markkanen appeared to be the ideal match for Stephen Curry with his flexible game and scoring talent. Despite their determined pursuit, the deal fell through, leaving the Warriors scrambling for other options. This setback has forced the team to rethink their strategy and consider the available talent in the market.
The struggle with youth: Moses moody’s dilemma
There’s an unattended concern from last season. The Warriors boast a strong youth movement, which only increases the depth of the roster. But at the same time, it left Steve Kerr struggling with rotating his talent. Moses Moody, one of the promising young stars, paid the price after he barely got on-court time, despite his promising numbers, averaging over 8 points and 46% from the field, off the bench in most games.
Steve Kerr
Thinning the roster: a double-edged sword
Addressing this, Dan Dibley asked Anthony Slater whether ‘thinning’ the roster would help the Dubs. The insider, however, completely stood against it, saying, “You don’t thin it, just to thin it. You don’t just give guys away, give talent away because you don’t want competition at the shooting guard.” Slater’s reasoning was clear: maintaining a deep roster ensures competition and growth within the team. He acknowledged that a player-heavy trade for someone like Lauri Markkanen made sense in a desperate scenario but cautioned against pursuing short-term gains by trading for the Nets duo.
The potential pitfalls of trading for the Nets duo
Slater continued on 95.7 The Game, “You don’t want to just give Moses Moody away, just give somebody away like that unless you want to save those chips and that’s the other thing with these smaller-scale deals. You look at Brooklyn. Would Dorian Finney-Smith be available? Would Cam Johnson be available? Maybe, but do you want to use up some of your assets that maybe, come January, there’s a bigger name available and suddenly you don’t have that because you used it to get Dorian Finney-Smith.” This practical perspective highlights the importance of strategic asset management in the pursuit of championship aspirations.
Has Moses moody been harshly snubbed at Golden State?
Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga came into the Dubs’ roster together in 2021. Both stars received equal opportunities in the initial stages, coming off the bench during garbage minutes and impressing the Bay Area. From there, Kuminga gradually received more minutes and went on to even start games in his third season. On the other end, Moses Moody, despite his impressive shooting and defensive skills, struggled to get a move up in the rotation ranks.
Fan frustration and coaching regrets
The Dub Nation didn’t realize it until the last season. Frustrated with Steve Kerr’s decision to give fewer minutes to Moody, fans even showed up with ‘Fire Kerr’ hoardings to the Chase Center. Moreover, the arena often echoed ‘Moody’ chants. Importantly, the star coach even accepted his mistake for benching a red-hot Moody during a game against the Sacramento Kings. Kerr said, “Moses was really good defensively, and you’re watching the tape over again, like that was a really terrible decision, and I should have left him out there at least for a couple more minutes. I regret that one.”
Looking ahead: will Kerr change his strategy?
With an aging Stephen Curry and Draymond Green leading the Bay Area’s Championship aspirations, the only question is whether Kerr will remember his past decisions and adapt his strategy in the upcoming season. The Warriors’ success hinges on how well they balance their youth movement with their veteran leadership, ensuring that talented players like Moses Moody get the opportunity to shine.