Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden State Warriors brings the ball up court as Trayce Jackson-Davis #32 sets a pick on Corey Kispert #24 of the Washington Wizards (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
With Klay Thompson coming in on Tuesday night as a Chase Center visitor for the first time since he was drafted in 2011, the Golden State Warriors have continued on.
Despite their lifelong brother moving onto a new challenge with the Dallas Mavericks, the cornerstone duo of Stephen Curry and Draymond Green still represents the foundation of a franchise that soldiers forward in pursuit of an NBA title.
Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney, and Gary Payton II have contributed to that championship success, and so have Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody from the moment they were drafted and lifted the Larry O’Brien trophy as rookies.
Constantly evolving, the fourth-year swingmen have been relied on in various ways and in different moments over the years. This season, it feels like the belief is growing stronger.
“It's cool to be a part of things,” Moody told RG in a pregame interview on Friday in Cleveland. “Throughout the years, everything's gonna be draining. A lot of highs of lows just come with every season. I'm sure they'll come this season at some point, too, but just never reaching the finish line. Keep going, keep working, keep trying to get better.”
Even so, Moody and Kuminga’s roles have varied amid early-year injuries and lineup changes, the former more than the latter.
It’s well-documented that the Arkansas product has been yearning to play a bigger part, and while Warriors head coach Steve Kerr recognizes his impact, it’s admittedly been difficult to get Moody out there enough because of the team’s collective surplus of talent.
“I would argue that Moses probably could have earned more minutes the last couple years if we didn’t have the roster that we did, so it hasn’t always been easy for him,” Kerr said Friday. “But we’ve always viewed him as a really mature young guy who can help our team. This year, he’s started out great. And we’re loaded again. We’ve got tons of guys, so I haven’t been able to play him even as much as I would like. But those circumstances always dictate how much guys play.”
“Just playing the game, taking whatever the game offers,” Moody said of his role.
He’s been handling the situation like a true pro, and clearly, he’s valued by the decision-makers, as he signed a multi-year contract extension in October.
Through 10 games, Moody is putting up career-best shooting numbers across the board. He’s averaging 9.7 points on a 64.5% True Shooting percentage, knocking down a sizzling 46.3% of his threes; that includes going 9 of 14 on his corner treys. It’s all happening in under 17 minutes per game, too.
Asked what has kept him pushing through the frustration of the fluctuation and if going through it with Kuminga as draft classmates has helped, Moody was candid with RG in his response.
“That's a really good question. I'd say knowing that nothing's gonna be easy, nothing's gonna be the way it's supposed to be, everything ain't fair, taking a situation for what it is and recognizing it is what it is and dealing with it… I mean, JK played a lot more than I did [to this point], but just going through it, dealing with it because you've got to. What choice do you got?”
Earning Trust With The Warriors
What does it take for a young player to earn trust on a team like Golden State?
“It’s just a matter of growth and improvement each year, proving that you can do it in key moments,” Kerr said. “It takes time. That stuff isn’t easy. Every player’s different. Every player has a different experience coming in, different feel, different skill sets, all that stuff. It has to fit within the team, too.”
Though Trayce Jackson-Davis is only in his second NBA season, he’s started in 21 consecutive games dating back to the tail end of his rookie year. He’s stood out with his ability to rim run, finish at the basket and pass on the move. The Indiana Hoosier alum makes his touches count, is decisive and takes care of the ball, as evidenced by his low turnover percentage.
Jackson-Davis detailed why guys like him and Brandin Podziemski – along with Kuminga and Moody – are being relied upon.
“I just think having youth, being able to get out and run, that's a huge thing that coach talked about and trying to expand the vets and their careers,” Jackson-Davis told RG. “Obviously, they're getting older, but at the same time, they're still playing at a very high level, so we've just gotta go out there and play hard and do what we do.
“We have athleticism – a lot of athleticism – on our team. Just getting out and running and trying to take the pressure off those guys.”
Logging around 25 minutes per game, Kuminga has had his share of ups and downs. After struggling the first week of the campaign as a starter, he’s been utilized as a second-unit weapon for the last seven contests.
Since the move, Kuminga’s been averaging 17.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists on 51.7% from the field and 43.5% from distance. He’s been a vital cog in Golden State’s top-scoring bench in the NBA at 59.6 points per contest.
“I feel like we've all been on the floor together more now that we know each other, and we know what's good for us to work,” Kuminga said. “Just going out there, playing free, running and being more organized on offense. I feel like that was the main focus that we all worried about, that we’re all well-prepared and well focused and well-organized out there.”
“We've got a lot of players that can go on the court and make a lot of impact in a lot of different ways,” Wiggins added. “We're a very deep team. The bench has been playing outstanding defensively, scoring the ball, really pushing that lead. They're doing a great job.”
Jackson-Davis also pointed to the Warriors’ depth as he praised the bench.
“We play 12, and I just think that just shows the moves that we made in free agency and just how any guy can come in at any particular time; as long as they're playing hard, good things are gonna happen,” Jackson-Davis said. “That's what Coach [Kerr] always says. Go bust your ass for five minutes and then get a sub.”
Golden Retool
In addition to internal improvement, during the offseason, Golden State retooled to surround its top veterans with seasoned players.
On July 6, in the first six-team trade in league history that sent Thompson to the Mavericks, the organization acquired Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson. Shortly thereafter, the Warriors inked De’Anthony Melton to a one-year deal to bolster their guard room.
It hasn’t taken long for each of the trio to immerse themselves into the team’s culture.
“They just add something that we didn't have, and I feel like they fit perfect now with us. I'm glad that they're here,” Kuminga said.
“They bring a lot to the team,” Wiggins added. “Kyle can do everything, play multiple positions, very high IQ. Same with Melton, another ball-handler, high-IQ guy that can shoot the ball, can score off the dribble, getting people involved. And Buddy's showing everybody what he can do right now. Buddy's going out there and just killing it, shooting the lights out, running the floor, playing hard. He's been great.”
Hield is scoring 18 points a night on a career-high 48.8% clip from three-point land; if this trend continues, he’ll be a surefire Sixth Man of the Year candidate.
Melton is coming off his best game with the Warriors, pouring in 19 points on 5 of 8 from long range and securing 10 rebounds for a double-double. That’s a bonus on top of the defensive prowess he carries, constantly having a keen eye and being aggressive on-ball.
Anderson is a steadying presence who gets things organized as a conductor, leaning on his decade-plus of experience.
Jackson-Davis appreciates those differences and understands their importance.
“And then Kyle, just doing a little bit of everything and just him on defense, on offense, being able to steer the ship when Draymond's out, I think is huge for us.”
Hitting The Ground Running
Sharing second place of the Western Conference with the Phoenix Suns and Oklahoma City Thunder at 8-2, the Warriors are defending at a high level and making teams pay for their mistakes.
It’s not exactly the same squad that won it all four times between 2015 and 2022, but the standard the originals set remains in place for the youth to abide by.
“It's been great. Each of those guys are getting better and better every year,” Wiggins said. “Their development has been great. JK has been great, just getting better and better. Moses, Podz, Trayce. The young guys are coming in here and evolving.”
“We have great vets on our team. We have a lot of youth. I just think that having other vets come in this offseason with free agents like Kyle, Melt, having Loon on the team. It's just a lot of guys on the team that you can learn from,” Jackson-Davis added. “And so, I feel like me and BP coming in last year were working like sponges just being around these guys and trying to get as much and soak it all in as much as possible.”
That standard also goes for fresh faces and anybody who enters the Bay Area building from now on.
Piece together the whole thing, and you have a reimagined, rejuvenated version of the Warriors.
It ain’t over just yet.
Spencer Davies has covered the NBA and the Cleveland Cavaliers as a credentialed reporter for the past nine seasons. His work has appeared on Basketball News, Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, FOX Sports, HoopsHype, CloseUp360, FanSided and Basketball Insiders among others. In addition to his work in journalism, he has been a senior editor, a digital production assistant, social media manager and a sports radio anchor and producer.
