The Golden State Warriors, like many teams, were entering the offseason with aspirations of making roster improvements. However, given their current cap situation and limited resources, the Warriors may be forced to make some tough decisions regarding players like Moses Moody.
As things stand, the Warriors have a payroll of $184.3 million, which is quite large considering that they have 12 active players on the roster. Draymond Green is likely to return after taking a pay cut in free agency, but with the Warriors sitting just $24.7 million under the first apron, this isn’t a favorable position to be in.
With the Dubs looking to sign players like LeBron James in free agency, it is growing increasingly apparent that the team needs to shed some salary. To do so, NBA insider Jake Weinbach suggested that Moses Moody may be a prime candidate for being waived or traded this summer.
“The Warriors will likely explore trade avenues for 24-year-old wing Moses Moody to gain additional cap flexibility,” Weinbach reported. “Moody, still recovering from a season-ending knee injury, has two years remaining on his contract, including a $12.5M salary for the upcoming season.”
Moody proved himself to be a reliable asset for the Warriors last season, averaging 12.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 44.0% from the field and 40.1% from three-point range. At 24, the guard possesses notable two-way upside and maturity, making him a valuable rotation piece. Unfortunately, with his knee injury sidelining him for an extended period, trading him may be the only alternative.
It goes without saying that teams would be hesitant to absorb an injured player’s contract. However, by negotiating a deal sending Moses Moody and draft compensation to a team with notable trade exceptions, the Warriors may succeed in offloading the guard’s $12.5 million contract.
Thus, with this approach forming the foundation of any deal, here are three teams that could emerge as landing spots for Moses Moody:
Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets could be an intriguing landing spot for Moses Moody. After trading LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Hornets acquired a massive $40.7 million trade exception, the largest in NBA history. Hence, for the Hornets, absorbing Moses Moody’s contract using a portion of their trade exception may not be out of the question.
Proposed Trade Details
Charlotte Hornets Receive: Moses Moody, 2033 second-round pick, 2031 first-round pick swap
Golden State Warriors Receive: $12.5 million trade exception
The Hornets may not see much value in this deal right off the bat. With Moody likely to be sidelined until February 2027, by the time he returns, Charlotte will have established its rotation. In this regard, bringing Moody into the lineup could disrupt their efforts to secure a playoff berth.
From a long-term perspective, however, adding Moody has a lot more merit. As a reliable two-way threat, the guard could also be a contributor off the bench. When factoring in his reliability as a three-point shooter, he would fit right into their offense.
The Hornets are a young team with potential. Adding a high-quality asset like Moody would only work to their benefit, especially if the deal is sweetened with a first-round pick swap and a second-round draft pick.
Memphis Grizzlies
Like the Hornets, the Memphis Grizzlies are also in possession of a sizable trade exception this offseason. After trading Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz at the February trade deadline, the Grizzlies acquired a $28.8 million trade exception to aid their rebuild. Although they used $14.3 million of it to absorb Isaiah Stewart’s incoming cap hit, the remaining $14.5 million could be used to acquire Moses Moody.
Proposed Trade Details
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: Moses Moody, 2033 second-round pick, 2031 first-round pick swap
Golden State Warriors Receive: $12.5 million trade exception
With a payroll of only $157.9 million, Memphis is an extremely suitable landing spot for Moses Moody.
For the Grizzlies, it would not be too concerning to absorb Moody’s contract using the remaining trade exception gained from the Jackson deal. However, when noting their current cap flexibility, it may make more sense to absorb Moody’s contract and keep the exception for another signing in the future.
After parting with Morant, the Grizzlies appear to have committed to a full-scale rebuild. With a core of Cedric Coward, Zach Edey, and the newly drafted Cameron Boozer, Memphis has some promising pieces in place. Still, they won’t be competitive for some time.
From a developmental perspective, acquiring a player like Moses Moody would be beneficial, especially since his age aligns with the core’s timeline. Given what he could bring to the table as a starter, with his defensive versatility and perimeter shooting, Memphis may benefit from adding him to its core.
When also factoring in the second-round pick and the first-round pick swap, the Grizzlies may be more inclined to do this deal.
Detroit Pistons
Although the Detroit Pistons have the smallest trade exception on this list at $14.3 million after trading Isaiah Stewart, it is still enough to absorb Moody’s contract. Given the cap space at their disposal, acquiring the Warriors’ guard shouldn’t be a concern.
Proposed Trade Details
Detroit Pistons Receive: Moses Moody, 2033 second-round pick, 2031 first-round pick swap
Golden State Warriors Receive: $12.5 million trade exception
Unlike the other teams on this list, the Detroit Pistons are already positioned as contenders. Despite crashing out of the playoffs this year, the Pistons boast a talented core and the depth to compete for a title.
So why would they need Moses Moody?
For the most part, the Pistons have made some solid moves this offseason. By acquiring players like John Collins and Isaiah Joe, Detroit ensured its depth wasn’t affected by notable departures like Stewart and Tobias Harris. However, when noting that players like Caris LeVert are on expiring contracts, the Pistons may benefit from adding a replacement on a lower salary right away.
As mentioned earlier, Moody is likely to be sidelined until February 2027. If he is traded to the Pistons, it is apparent that he would not be a regular rotation piece in the upcoming season. However, with a cap hit of $13.4 million for the 2027-28 season, he could be a solid replacement for LeVert at a considerably lower price.
At 24, Moody’s timeline also fits perfectly with the Pistons’ title window. Given that his skill set makes him an ideal fit in the bench rotation, Detroit could see great value in acquiring him now to remain competitive.
Why The Warriors Shouldn’t Waive Moses Moody
Although a trade would be feasible, some of these teams, especially the Pistons, may not want to acquire an injured player. Hence, there remains a very real possibility for Golden State to bite the bullet and waive and stretch Moody’s contract.
This is not advisable.
Currently, Moses Moody is owed $25.9 million over two years. If the Warriors choose to stretch his contract, they would find themselves paying $5.2 million over the next five years. In the current scenario, this would give the Warriors roughly $7.3 million of salary space to play with. But it is simply not enough.
Although the Warriors would have enough to sign LeBron James, with one player off the roster, the Dubs would be forced to sign more players on minimum deals. Purely from the perspective of title contention, this is not favorable.
Golden State isn’t in a position to part with draft picks, but if they choose to trade Moses Moody, they may be forced to offer compensation. While this isn’t the ideal approach to creating cap space, it may be one of the few paths left for the Warriors.
