Moses Moody Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Deveney’s Latest: Lowry, D. Robinson, Crowder, Okoro, G. Williams, Warriors

February 8th, 2023 at 6:21pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat haven’t been able to find a taker for Kyle Lowry and may not be able to work out a significant deal before the deadline, writes Sean Deveney of Heavy. Sources tell Deveney that Miami had Lowry trade offers rejected by the Nets, Mavericks and Timberwolves and wasn’t able to generate much traction with any other team.

Lowry’s age (36) and contract (fully guaranteed at $29.68MM next season) have been major impediments to finding a trade partner. In addition, he has been limited to 44 games because of injuries, including a current bout with left knee soreness that could sideline him through the All-Star break.

The Heat also haven’t found much of a market for Duncan Robinson, who is under contract for $57MM over the next three years, although the last season isn’t fully guaranteed. Robinson has seen his playing time reduced this season and underwent finger surgery in January. Deveney suggests Miami will need to attach a future first-round pick and a young player to trade Lowry or Robinson, and he notes that some teams have expressed interest in rookie Nikola Jovic and Max Strus.

“They thought they were going to have more assets at this point, that Robinson might be playing better, that (Victor) Oladipo would be better, that Omer (Yurtseven) would be better, that Strus would be better, that Lowry would have value,” an NBA executive told Deveney. “That is why they were confident they would make a move. But they missed on pretty much all of those bets, and it is going to be hard to pull something off.”

Deveney passes along a few more rumors:

The Suns appear willing to accept Caleb Martin from the Heat in exchange for Jae Crowder, but Miami is reluctant to part with Martin, who is 27 and has an affordable contract. Sources tell Deveney that Phoenix is talking to several other teams about Crowder, including the Nets.
The Cavaliers likely won’t deal for another wing if the cost is Isaac Okoro, according to Deveney, who notes that Cleveland has discussed Josh Hart with the Trail Blazers, Bojan Bogdanovic with the Pistons and Malik Beasley with the Jazz.
The Celtics aren’t exploring Grant Williams trades before the deadline, Deveney adds. Although Williams will be a free agent this summer after not reaching a contract extension, Boston prefers to hold onto him at his current bargain price of $4.3MM and may consider a sign-and-trade in the offseason.
The Warriors are listening to offers for Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and James Wiseman, but Deveney hears that their trade value may have decreased from a lack of playing time.

Moore’s Latest: Pelicans, Spurs, Warriors, Nuggets, VanVleet, Vanderbilt, More

February 7th, 2023 at 11:31am CST by Luke Adams

The latest trade intel column from Matt Moore of Action Network is packed full of tidbits about the upcoming deadline, including some details on which players a handful of Western Conference teams have made available.

According to Moore, the Pelicans – in the market for another shooter – have made players like Jaxson Hayes, Devonte’ Graham, and Naji Marshall available, while the Spurs are discussing Isaiah Roby in addition to previously reported trade candidates like Josh Richardson and Doug McDermott. Perhaps most interestingly, Moore says the Warriors consider Jonathan Kuminga “off limits,” but have been willing to discuss youngsters James Wiseman and Moses Moody.

Meanwhile, the Nuggets – who have put second-year guard Bones Hyland on the trade block – are seeking another wing and have their eye on players like Bulls guard Alex Caruso, Clippers guard Terance Mann, and Pacers swingman Chris Duarte, Moore writes.

Here’s more:

The Magic, who have previously been cited as a possible free agency suitor for Fred VanVleet, have “real” interest in the Raptors point guard, reports Moore. While VanVleet is thought to be available at the trade deadline due to his uncertain contract status beyond this season, one executive told Moore that trying to get a deal done with Toronto is “like blood from stone.”
There’s a growing belief that forward Jarred Vanderbilt will be on the move this week even if the Jazz don’t get the first-round pick they’re seeking for him, according to Moore, who suggest the Trail Blazers may be the frontrunner to land Vanderbilt.
Two league sources tell Moore that the Cavaliers have contacted the Hawks to inquire about Bogdan Bogdanovic. While there’s no indication those talks went anywhere, it’s worth noting Caris LeVert‘s $18.8MM salary is a near-perfect match for Bogdanovic’s $18MM cap hit.
Recent strong play from Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein has reduced the odds that he’ll be traded before Thursday’s deadline — the belief is that he’ll remain in New York, per Moore.

Pacific Notes: Booker, Saric, Wiseman, Moody, Jackson

January 30th, 2023 at 6:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Suns guard Devin Booker is scheduled for a second reevaluation Wednesday for a left groin strain he suffered on Christmas Day, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. Booker missed his 18^th consecutive game with the left groin strain Monday against Toronto but there’s optimism he’ll play this week. The Suns have a home game on Wednesday, then embark on a five-game road trip.

“Everybody is excited,” Suns forward Dario Saric said. “He’s our best player.”

However, Suns head coach Monty Williams said Booker still hasn’t participated in any 5-on-5 scrimmages, Gerald Bourguet of GoPHNX.com tweets.

We have more Pacific Division news:

Speaking of Saric, he’s thrilled to be getting steady minutes, Rankin tweets. “I’m feeling great being back in the rotation. Serious minutes,” he said. “Feeling great about that. I think I deserve that. I work hard for that. Played a couple of good games. I hope I’m going to continue like that.” Saric, who is averaging 7.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 18.3 minutes this month, needs to pump up his value since he’ll be an unrestricted free agent after the season.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr met with James Wiseman over the weekend to give the young center some encouraging words, Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. Wiseman has struggled to establish a rotation spot this season. “One of the things I told James is that in this league things change quickly,” Kerr said. “You just don’t know. … I would love to get him out there, but right now, JaMychal (Green) is playing really well. Obviously, we’ve gone to a smaller lineup, so that … creates a little bit of a logjam at that position. James just has to stay ready.”
The Warriors have recalled second-year guard Moses Moody from their G League affiliate in Santa Cruz, the team’s PR department tweets. Moody played two games with the G League team after being assigned last week, averaging 23 points in those games. Moody has appeared in 39 games with Golden State this season but recently fell out of the rotation.
The G League’s Stockton Kings released former lottery pick Josh Jackson over the weekend, the team tweets. Jackson appeared in a combined 51 NBA games with Detroit and Sacramento last season. He joined the G League team last week, but appeared in one game.

Moses Moody Assigned To Warriors’ G League Affiliate

January 26th, 2023 at 2:24pm CST by Rory Maher

Moses Moody, the 14th overall pick of the 2021 draft, has been assigned to the Warriors‘ G League affiliate in Santa Cruz, the team announced (via Twitter).

Still just 20 years old, the second-year wing has struggled to land a regular spot in head coach Steve Kerr‘s rotation this season. He did not play at all in three of the last four games, so obviously the Warriors want him to get more reps in.

Through 39 games (14.8 MPG), Moody is averaging 5.2 PPG and 1.7 RPG on .452/.367/.703 shooting. The former lottery pick made 10 total appearances (Showcase Cup, regular season and postseason) with Santa Cruz as a rookie, but this is his first G League stint during the 2022/23 season.

After defeating Memphis on Wednesday night, the defending champions are now 24-24, the No. 8 seed in the West.

Several Contenders Pursuing Malik Beasley

January 22nd, 2023 at 8:56am CST by Arthur Hill

Malik Beasley is a popular target heading into this year’s trade deadline, with several contenders expected to make a play for the Jazz guard, writes Sean Deveney of Heavy.

The desire around the league for more shooting, combined with a shortage of sellers, could produce an “overheated” market for Beasley, an Eastern Conference executive tells Deveney. The 26-year-old is averaging 13.7 PPG for Utah while connecting at 39.9% from the field and 35.8% from three-point range. His contract is relatively affordable, with a $16.5MM team option for 2023/24.

“It is a thin market,” the executive said. “You are going to have to overpay because there are not a ton of guys you can go out and get. … A lot of playoff teams are trying to figure out what it is going to take to get him.”

The Jazz are asking for a first-round pick in return for Beasley, along with a young player and whatever it takes to match salaries, according to Deveney, who hears that Utah is willing to take on salary beyond this season if it believes the players if acquires can eventually be moved for another first-rounder.

Deveney cites the Heat as among the top contenders for Beasley, possibly as part of a larger deal that would also bring Kelly Olynyk back to Miami for a package that includes Duncan Robinson and Caleb Martin along with picks and other young players. Miami prefers to hold onto 2022 first-round pick Nikola Jovic, according to Deveney, who believes that stance could change as the deadline nears.

Deveney also mentions the Cavaliers in a rumor first floated last week by Marc Stein. The proposed three-team deal would send Beasley to Cleveland, Caris LeVert‘s expiring contract to the Hawks and John Collins to Utah.

The Bucks and Nets are also interested in Beasley, Deveney adds, but both teams are limited in the draft assets they can offer. Milwaukee doesn’t have a first-round pick to trade until 2029, while Brooklyn would like to deal Seth Curry or Joe Harris for Beasley, but can’t trade a first-rounder until 2028.

The Celtics, who nearly traded for Beasley last season before acquiring Derrick White, probably won’t be involved in the pursuit this year, Deveney states. He expects them to seek a less expensive wing if they’re active in the market at all, possibly offering Danilo Gallinari and Payton Pritchard in return.

Deveney identifies the Pelicans and Warriors as “dark horses” in the Beasley chase, with New Orleans having the combination of draft capital, young players and salary fillers that Utah is seeking, and Golden State able to get involved if management decides to part with either James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga or Moses Moody.

Warriors Rumors: Wiseman, Moody, Kuminga, J. Green, Lamb, More

January 19th, 2023 at 8:18am CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors‘ approach to this season’s trade deadline might resemble the path they took two years ago, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Back in 2021, Kelly Oubre was considered a potential trade chip as Golden State hovered around .500, but the team hung onto Oubre and only made two small salary-dump deals involving Marquese Chriss and Brad Wanamaker.

According to Slater, this season’s Warriors are a better bet to make moves on the fringe like those ones than to do anything drastic. That’s why former lottery picks James Wiseman, Moses Moody, and Jonathan Kuminga are likely to remain in Golden State through the deadline instead of being moved, Slater adds. Those youngsters could be traded in the right deal, but the Warriors won’t want to sell low on Wiseman and Moody, and they view Kuminga as a legitimate playoff rotation piece.

If the Warriors make a small move to dump a contract and open up another roster spot, JaMychal Green would be the most obvious trade candidate, Slater observes.

The team already has one spot open on its 15-man roster, but the expectation is that two-way player Anthony Lamb will eventually be promoted to fill that spot. Opening up a second roster slot would position the Warriors to be players on the buyout market. Unlike last year, they could have both a roster and rotation spot to offer veteran free agents this time around, Slater writes.

Here’s more on the Warriors:

Theoretically, big men like Jakob Poeltl or Kelly Olynyk would appeal to the Warriors, but the price will likely be too high for a Golden State team that already has Draymond Green and Kevon Looney in its frontcourt and only really needs an insurance policy, Slater writes. Sources tell The Athletic that the Dubs would be more interested in a “versatile multi-positional wing” to play a role similar to the one Otto Porter Jr. did last season.
Slater names Jalen McDaniels, Darius Bazley, Rui Hachimura, and Obi Toppin as some possible targets the Warriors could kick the tires on, but acknowledges that rival suitors would probably be in position to outbid Golden State on those sorts of players.
While Stephen Curry has been cleared to play in both parts of back-to-back sets going forward, Klay Thompson is still awaiting that same clearance, says Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. Thompson sat out on Monday after scoring a team-high 26 points on Sunday, but the expectation is that he’ll be able to play in back-to-backs at some point this season. Assuming he misses either Friday’s game after playing tonight, Thompson’s next opportunity to play in both ends of a back-to-back would be on February 1 and 2.
In a conversation with David Aldridge of The Athletic, Draymond Green says he believes he’ll eventually make the Basketball Hall of Fame. “You won’t go and look at my stats and say, ‘This guy’s a surefire Hall of Famer,'” Green said. “But if you know the game of basketball, and you look at the game of basketball, then I think I have a case.”

Spurs Rumors: Poeltl, Richardson, McDermott, 15th Man, Wesley

December 7th, 2022 at 2:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Center Jakob Poeltl is the player that the Spurs have gotten the most trade inquiries about, according to LJ Ellis of SpursTalk, who repeats what he reported last month, writing that the team continues to seek two lightly protected first-round picks in any deal involving the big man.

The Raptors and Warriors are among the teams that have shown the most interest in Poeltl, sources tell Ellis. Toronto has thus far been unwilling to offer a package headlined by more than one moderately protected first-round pick, Ellis writes.

As for a potential fit with Golden State, Ellis hears that the Spurs aren’t especially interested in James Wiseman or Jonathan Kuminga as the centerpiece of a hypothetical Poeltl trade. According to Ellis, San Antonio likes Moses Moody the most out of the Warriors’ three young prospects, but would want more than just Moody for Poeltl. In other words, Golden State would likely have to be willing to part with future draft assets to have a chance to land the veteran center.

The Spurs’ other trade candidates include Josh Richardson and Doug McDermott. Ellis says the club still wants a first-round pick in any deal involving Richardson, while McDermott will likely remain in San Antonio through the trade deadline unless a team offers a first-rounder for him.

Here’s more on the Spurs:

Having recently signed Alize Johnson to a non-guaranteed contract to provide frontcourt depth following injuries to Poeltl and Jeremy Sochan, the Spurs will likely cut Johnson and sign a perimeter player once their regulars get healthy, sources tell Ellis. Bringing back Jordan Hall is one possibility, and San Antonio has also been doing its homework on former Jazz guard Jared Butler. One longer-shot candidate for that 15th roster spot, according to Ellis, is Isaiah Thomas, who could be a target if the front office feels as if the scoring burden on youngsters like Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell is getting too heavy.
Richardson is expected to return to action on Thursday vs. Houston after missing six games due to a right ankle sprain, tweets Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. McDermott, out for two games with a sprained right ankle of his own, will also likely be back on Thursday, Orsborn adds (via Twitter).
Spurs rookie Blake Wesley, who is recovering from a torn MCL, still has no official timeline for a return, but the club is hoping he’ll be back later this month, according to Orsborn (Twitter link).

Pacific Notes: Paul, Moody, Poole, Boston Jr.

December 4th, 2022 at 9:54pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Suns guard Chris Paul has missed 13 consecutive games due to a heel injury but insists he’s close to returning, he told Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “It’s hard,” Paul said. “That’s my happy place is hooping, but I’ve sort of learned over the years that it’s a long game. Luckily we have enough depth on our team to where I shouldn’t be forced to come back until I’m ready.” Phoenix romped past San Antonio without Paul on Sunday.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Warriors reserve guard Moses Moody said it’s been a little more challenging getting spotty minutes during his second season, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. “Last year, everything was new and I wasn’t positive about how prepared I was…Now I feel moreso that I know I’m ready,” he said. Stephen Curry said Moody has taken a positive approach to his situation, Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area writes. “He comes with a great attitude just understanding the challenges of him getting in the rotation consistently and when it doesn’t happen, he stays positive, he stays engaged and then when he’s out there ready to go, he plays,” Curry said.
Warriors guard Jordan Poole isn’t sneaking up on anybody this season and Poole admits he’s adjusting to extra defensive attention, according to Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. “A lot of defenses are loaded, either sending a blitz and making me get off the ball or, it’s kind of like boxes and elbows,” said Poole, who signed a four-year extension prior to the season.
Guard Brandon Boston Jr. has posted back-to-back double-digit scoring outings for the Clippers as the 2021 second-rounder tries to establish himself in the league, Janis Carr of the Orange County Register writes. “I want those guys (Kawhi Leonard and Paul George) back, but I feel that everybody should be ready to step up,” Boston said. “I want to show that I belong up here (in the NBA) with the regular team and contribute for the team to win.”

Warriors Notes: Green, Kuminga, Moody, Wiseman

December 1st, 2022 at 9:50pm CST by Rory Maher

Warriors forward Draymond Green has been fined $25K for “directing obscene language toward a fan,” the NBA announced (via Twitter). The incident occurred at the beginning of the fourth quarter during Golden State’s loss to Dallas on Tuesday.

The four-time All-Star is averaging 9.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 7.1 APG and 1.0 SPG on .602/.320/.697 shooting through 20 games (30.7 MPG) for the defending champions. His percentage from the field (60.2%) is a career high.

Green can become a free agent in 2023 if he declines his $27.6MM player option for next season.

Here’s more on the 11-11 Warriors:

Second-year forward Jonathan Kuminga had a mini-breakout in Tuesday’s loss, playing 26 minutes and recording 14 points (on 6-of-8 shooting), 10 rebounds, two blocks and a team-high plus-21. Head coach Steve Kerr was extremely pleased with his effort, per Tim Kawakami of The Athletic. “Best game I’ve ever seen JK play,” Kerr told reporters in Dallas, “because everything he did contributed towards making an impact on winning. His defense on Luka (Doncic) was fantastic, he was disciplined, he stayed down, he challenged shots. … He stayed patient offensively, he just took the shots that were there, he knocked down a big 3. JK was fantastic; he’s really coming into his own, and that’s very exciting.”
As Kawakami details, the reason Kuminga has seen minutes in recent games and Moses Moody and James Wiseman (currently in the G League) have not is because he’s learning that less is more when it comes to his role. He’s playing with energy, defending, moving the ball quickly, not trying to force shots, and has been a willing screener and cutter. Kawakami believes Moody will get another shot at rotation minutes at some point, but he needs to show that he can “make quick decisions, move the ball, defend without fouling and keep the mojo going” in order to regain Kerr’s trust.
It’s up to Wiseman to dominate in his G League stint to convince the Warriors that he should get another opportunity for playing time, writes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. His performances with Santa Cruz have been mixed thus far, according to Poole, who notes that Golden State’s second unit has stabilized with Green leading the charge alongside reserves Jordan Poole, Donte DiVincenzo, Anthony Lamb, Kuminga and occasionally JaMychal Green. How long Wiseman stays in the G League will be a good indicator of “how hot (his) competitive fire burns,” per Monte Poole.

Pacific Notes: Warriors, Green, AD, Lakers, Clippers

November 24th, 2022 at 8:28pm CST by Rory Maher

Chris Mannix and Howard Beck of Sports Illustrated debate how long the Warriors should hold onto their young talent. Both writers believe that former lottery picks James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody have the potential to be quality players down the road, but none are contributing much right now, and the bench has been a disaster after letting several players walk in free agency.

Mannix and Beck are confident that Jordan Poole will turn things around after a slow start, but if the bench continues to struggle into 2023, they’d start seriously considering making changes. SI’s duo believe the front office owes it to Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson to maximize their chances of winning another title.

Here are a few more notes from the Pacific:

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr recently made an adjustment to the rotation that seems to have stabilized the non-Curry minutes, with Green and Andrew Wiggins playing alongside three reserves in Poole, Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Lamb. Anthony Slater of The Athletic examines the potential impact of the switch. “What am I doing?” Green said. “Number one, just trying to slow the unit down. That unit should not play as fast as the first unit. It should be more methodical. It should be more sets. It should be more patterned movements as opposed to random movements and random offense. I think, for me, it’s just trying to slow that unit down and then, number two, most importantly, make sure that unit is defending.”
Anthony Davis has been absolutely dominant for the Lakers over the past four games, averaging 35.5 PPG, 18.3 RPG, 2.0 APG, 2.3 SPG and 2.5 BPG while shooting 62.3% from the floor and 92.0% from the charity stripe. Kyle Goon of The Southern California News Group wonders if Davis’ stellar two-way play will make the front office more willing to deal away the team’s two available future first-round picks (2027 and 2029) to build around the 29-year-old, since Goon thinks that’s a more compelling reason to go all-in when compared to giving LeBron James the best chance to reach the playoffs at the end of his career.
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue is preaching patience to reserves John Wall and Robert Covington, according to Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. Wall has been frustrated by having to sit out back-to-backs because he feels fully healthy, but Lue noted that the veteran sat out all of last season, so the team is being cautious. As for Covington, he’s averaging his fewest minutes (13.8) since his rookie season back in ’13/14. “It’s a long season and we have so much talent and so much depth that I know it’s going to be times when people going to play and some people not,” Covington said. “I knew what was coming and knew what to expect at times. I’m not the type of person that’s going to complain about too much, I’m going to sit up there and call and be there ready when my number’s called.”
Clippers stars Kawhi Leonard (ankle) and Paul George (hamstring) have been ruled out for Friday’s contest against the Nuggets, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. There’s no timetable for either player to return.