After exiting Monday’s game due to a knee injury and undergoing tests on Tuesday, Warriors wing Moses Moody has been diagnosed with a torn patellar tendon in his left knee, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Moody’s 2025/26 season is over and he’s facing a lengthy rehabilitation process, Charania adds. While there are no details yet on a potential timeline, the 23-year-old is unlikely to be ready for the start of ’26/27 based on the typical recovery period for this type of injury.
It’s a crushing blow for Moody, who was in the midst of the best season of his five-year NBA career. His 12.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.0 steal per game all represented career highs, as did his 40.1% three-point percentage. He started 49 of the 60 games he played for Golden State this season, averaging 25.7 minutes per night.
Moody, who was playing on Monday for the first time in three weeks after recovering from a wrist ailment, suffered the injury during the final minutes of the Warriors’ win over Dallas. He stole the ball from Cooper Flagg, dribbled up the court, and went up for a breakaway dunk, but his left knee buckled as he planted to jump. Moody lost the ball and fell to the floor, immediately grabbing at his knee. He had to be carted off the court.
A patellar tendon tear isn’t as common an injury among NBA players as an ACL or Achilles tear, but it’s certainly not unprecedented. Victor Oladipo (2023), Dante Exum (2019), Andre Roberson (2018), Jeremy Lin (2017), and David Lee (2017) are among the players to suffer similar injuries in the past decade.
Exum, who sustained his injury in mid-March, was able to get back on the court in November of the following season, but his was a partial tear. Lin was out for almost exactly one year, while Roberson estimated that he was about 85-95% recovered when he suffered a setback about eight months into his recovery period. Oladipo, who had already dealt with major leg injuries before tearing his patellar tendon, and Lee, who was 34 when he sustained the injury, didn’t play again in the NBA (though Oladipo has since attempted to make a comeback).
Moody’s injury is the latest setback for the Warriors, who have been plagued by health problems during the second half of the season and have slid down in the standings to 10th place in the Western Conference. Not having Moody available this spring will further reduce the club’s odds of making any real noise in the postseason.
In the short term, Gui Santos figures to return to Golden State’s starting lineup after coming off the bench on Monday for the first time since March 2. Looking ahead to the longer term, Moody is the second Warriors regular who will likely be on the injured list when the 2026/27 campaign tips off. Jimmy Butler, who tore his right ACL in January, isn’t expected to be available until later in the season.
Moody will be entering the second season of a three-year, $37.5MM deal this summer. He’ll make $12.5MM in ’26/27, with a guaranteed $13.43MM salary for ’27/28.
Torn? More like removed. Poor guy.
Hoping for a best case recovery for him.
Man that injury is absolutely brutal. The good thing about the injury is that Moody is young. However, with that injury, you are typically not the same player after returning , if you can even make it that far! Hoping the best for Moses Moody! He’s a solid young player! Golden State organization is cursed!
Godspeed young man..Im no Warriors fan but I hope he does well in his recovery and is young enough to come back
SOMEBODY CHECK ON DAVEY
Yeah right he probably still thinks they can win it all with a one legged Curry and the human glass Porzingis
Anyways time to fix the Warriors 2026 roster
PG Curry
SG Podziemski
SF Butler
PF Draymond
C – Nick Richards
Bench
Moody
Achiuwa (size)
Biyombo? Size rim protection
Porter Jr who opts out of his option I think (scoring)
Alvarado who opts out of his option I think (back up PG)
Porzingis
Depth with draft picks
Anyways
Warriors need more size more rim protection and need some sparks off the bench. Pick who you will.
Wishing you a speedy and complete recovery Moses!
The list of those who had same injury is one that does NOT breed hope. Seemed like those players for the most part went south in their game or career ended
This is why they need to maximize their opportunity when they have some leverage.
Moody in fact signed team friendy contract.
Same thing with Santos contract. Warriors talk him up but gives him $15m for 3 yrs. Kuminga also had no financial security the last 2 yrs. The morale for the youth movent is not good unless you are desperate 2 way player or journeymen.
Having suffered a complete tear while going up to stuff it, I completely sympathise. Took me a year and I don’t jump anymore. But I’m old and he’s young. Wish him the best.