Warriors Rumors: Golden State title surprise, Harden trade casualty, Moses Moody

Warriors Rumors: Golden State exercises Moses Moody's fourth-year option

Moses Moody has been a treat to watch during the first week of the new NBA season. He's still relegated to a relatively minor bench role — 18.6 minutes per game — but the production has been rock solid. He's averaging 8.0 points and 3.0 rebounds on .500/.368/.714 splits, occupying the 3-and-D bench role the Golden State Warriors require, but flashing upside beyond it.

The No. 14 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Moody was one of the youngest players in his rookie class. Now 21 years old, he still has ample time to develop from a quality role player into an everyday starter. Any such development, from the looks of it, will take place in Golden State.

The Warriors, as expected, exercised Moody's fourth-year rookie contract option on Tuesday.

Moody will play next season in the final year of his rookie contract. He is eligible for an extension next October, or the Warriors could risk allowing Moody to enter restricted free agency in 2025. That would still permit the Warriors to match any offer sheet from another team. With the rising cap and the league's emphasis on two-way versatility, one should expect Moody to command a healthy raise on his next deal.

For the Warriors, it's all about the present. Moody can help win games right now, even at his young age. The 'two-timelines' approach centered on Jordan Poole and James Wiseman never panned out, but it would appear the 2021 draft class — and the two lottery picks of Moody and Jonathan Kuminga — was a legitimate success for Golden State, and a potential bridge to the future.