Defensive expectations! Three-point surge! The shooter the Warriors are looking for?

For the Warriors, there has been a persistent problem in recent years:

"The lack of stable outside firepower in the frontcourt."

Especially after the trade for Butler last season, the frontcourt combination formed by Green was impeccable in terms of golf intelligence and defense, but the two have always lacked three-point firepower. This also resulted in the Warriors' offensive space being significantly limited, forcing Cole to put Moody in the starting lineup later in the regular season, and even forced backup center Post into the rotation.

As a result, Moody's status fluctuated after being injured, and Post's defensive shortcomings were also magnified in the playoffs. In the end, Cole had no choice but to put Hield at the third position.

Judging from the content of the game, Hilder's shooting was indeed enough to stop the bleeding, and he also delivered excellent offensive answers in the playoffs. But the problem on the defensive end is right there on the field, and loopholes like Hield are obviously not the Warriors' ideal long-term starter.

So, after entering the offseason, the biggest problem for the Warriors management is to find someone to fill this gap.

What kind of frontcourt shooter do the Warriors want?

The answer is obvious:

On the offensive end, you don't need to hold the ball too much, what is important is the stability of the three-pointers; on the defensive end, you don't have to be top-notch, but you need to have the ability to defend in multiple positions, so as not to become a drag on the defensive end.

Referring to the candidates on the market, there are three categories that are theoretically most suitable for the Warriors:

High-quality shooters: Cameron Johnson, Trey Murphy;

Balanced offense and defense: Keegan Murray, Aaron Nesmith;

Center forward pitchers: Naz Reid, Al Horford;

In the end, the Warriors waited for the 39-year-old Horford. In the first game of the preseason, the veteran began to show his value, making contributions in space conduction and inside frame protection. However, the problem is also obvious. At this stage, it is difficult for Horford to play for too long, and he is not a tactical shooter. It is difficult to enter the Warriors' future plans. At this stage, the Warriors still need a mobile forward who can open up space and defend multiple positions.

Although it seems difficult, when I think about it, there seems to be such a person in the Warriors: Moses Moody.

Looking back at the second half of last season, Moody once entered the Warriors' starting lineup, and that period happened to be the period when the Warriors were playing most smoothly. Unfortunately, in the final stages and playoffs, his condition took a turn for the worse. The opponent even chose to use a center to counter him in a wrong position, but he was unable to respond accordingly. He could not score goals on offense and could not guard against people on defense. The overall performance was really disappointing.

To make matters worse, he accidentally suffered a torn ligament in his right thumb and could only practice shooting with his left hand. This is a blow to a young player who has just started to make some progress.

Surprisingly, Cole gave him a starting opportunity as soon as the preseason started. Fortunately, Moody didn't waste anything. Not long after the game started, he passed Ayton on the baseline and completed a hard dunk. It was also a positive response to the misplaced suppression of the center last year.

More importantly, he began to show the prototype of a prolific shooter on the outside. In less than 15 minutes of playing time, he made 5 of 7 three-pointers. In the third quarter, he also hit a Warriors-marked shot around the screen and shot quickly; for the Warriors, they really need such stable firepower.

Looking back on last season, in the starting stage before injury, Moody's three-point shooting rate was as high as 44.4%, averaging 2.2 three-pointers per game. His three-point shooting percentage so far in his career has never been lower than 36%, and last season it hit a career high of 37.4%. Considering that there is an incentive clause attached to his contract: he must take more than 9 three-pointers every 100 possessions. This is enough to illustrate the Warriors' expectations for his role as a productive and efficient shooter.

Judging from the trend, Moody has every chance to grow into a high-quality shooter with a three-point shooting rate between 38% and 40% in the new season.

In addition to offense, can Moody solve another defensive pain point of the Warriors?

As a guard wing with a height of 196cm and a wingspan of 215cm, he is strong enough to support switching to the third and fourth positions in small ball lineups.

Refer to Thunder Jay Wei, who has similar physical condition. He also played the fourth position many times last season, and even frequently played as a small ball center. This is also something Moody can learn to imitate in the future.

Cole made it clear in the interview that he hopes to strengthen the defensive initiative in the new season, and even directly named Moody, believing that he has the potential to become the team's defensive initiative at critical moments.

In summary, Moody's key to the new season lies in three aspects:

The three-point shooting must be productive and efficient enough;

The defensive end must improve switching capabilities;

Demonstrate the value of defensive initiation at critical moments.

If he can fulfill his potential on these three points, while stabilizing the team's rotation, he may even have a chance to become the team's starter and become a key puzzle piece for the final lineup.

The frontcourt shooter the Warriors are looking for might already be in the lineup.

Moody in the new season may be the Warriors’ best answer.