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Jonathan Kuminga #00 of the Golden State Warriors is congratulated by Moses Moody #4 after Kuminga scored and was fouled on the shot against the Utah Jazz during second half at Chase Center on April 07, 2024 in San Francisco, California.
There is increasing evidence to suggest that the Golden State Warriors have given up on their young core of Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski, the three players who were supposed to carry them into the future.
According to Forbes’ Evan Sidery, both Moody and Brandin Podziemski have joined Kuminga on the Warriors trade block ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline.
“The Warriors are open to moving Moses Moody during trade season for a wing upgrade. Previously opposed to moving Moody, Golden State’s young core all appear available for a game-changing move,” wrote Sidery.
The insider reported last month that the Warriors had similarly changed their stance on moving Podziemski, whom they previously deemed untouchable in trade talks.
Warriors Youth Movement Flops
It’s a rather unfortunate development that the Warriors have bungled on three lottery picks — James Wiseman, Kuminga and Moody — within the span of five years, not to mention another promising first-round pick in Podziemski.
While some have blamed head coach Steve Kerr for his failure to develop youngsters, others believe Golden State’s system isn’t the best fit for certain players, especially someone like Kuminga, who thrives with the ball in his hands and lacks off-ball skills.
Unlike Kuminga — who hasn’t stepped on the court since the Dec. 18 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers — Moody and Podz remain active members of Kerr’s rotation but have seen their roles alter several times. Podziemski began the season as the starting shooting guard next to Stephen Curry, averaging 32.9 minutes and serving as the secondary ball-handler and sometimes, the primary offensive initiator.
However, Podz has gradually seen his playing time dip from 28.1 in November to 26.0 in December and 25.2 through two games in January. A similar fate has befallen Moody, whose playing time dipped drastically from 28.0 in November to 22.6 in December, with his shot/three attempts also nosediving by nearly 3.0 per game.
Final Shot for Stephen Curry and Co.
As for Kuminga, the Congolese forward began the season in scorching form, averaging 17.5 points and 7.5 rebounds from 30.8 minutes in his first six games. Predictably, it didn’t take long for Kerr to change his role and eventually DNP him out of the rotation.
The failure of their youth movement means the Warriors have a shrinking window to try and help Stephen Curry win his fifth NBA championship. They seem committed to giving him, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler III a two-year window that ends after the 2026-27 season, as the trio’s contracts are strategically aligned to expire together.
The Warriors, in fact, have prioritized holding onto Green, 35, and Butler, 36, over Kuminga, 23, Moody, 23, and Podziemski, 22, in their pursuit of making roster upgrades ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline, per The Athletic’s Sam Amick.
“Team sources say they’re staunchly against the notion of trading either Draymond Green or Jimmy Butler, which creates quite a predicament when you’re trying to match salaries of high-level players,” Amick reported of the Warriors trade plans on Dec. 31.
Regardless of how the next two years pan out, the Warriors will likely have to start their rebuild in 2027 due to the failure of their youth movement. That would mean a 180 from their previous plan for Podz and Co. to take the reins from Curry and Co.