Steph loves Kuminga, Moody as part of Warriors' win-now 'vibe' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
With Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green's championship window starting to close, the Warriors' offseason task centered on finding a way to get their core back to title contention next season.
Golden State's decision to hold onto both of its lottery picks and select young wings Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody seemed to signal a shift toward planning for the long-term future instead of outfitting the team to best compete next season. But Curry, who agreed to sign a four-year, $215 million extension Tuesday, didn't see it like that. The two-time MVP has been in the loop with all the Warriors' decisions and sees the additions of Kuminga and Moody as part of the Warriors' plan to win now.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
“The draft picks — love ’em,” Curry told The Athletic's Marcus Thompson in an exclusive interview. “There’s a lot of potential in terms of trying to implement them early and continue to develop them.
“Yeah, the effort is there. Just being around the conversations that some people are privy to and most people are not — we want to win. And if anybody was not with that, then we’ve got issues. And I don’t think I’d have signed up for five years of that. So that’s the vibe.”
The Warriors have been hunting for veterans in free agency, adding Otto Porter Jr. and Nemanja Bjelica. They did, however, lose out on Patty Mills and Nicolas Batum. An Andre Iguodala reunion still remains possible, and despite owner Joe Lacob's proclamation that a blockbuster trade was unlikely, it's hard to count Golden State out of a potential Bradley Beal trade should the Washington Wizards star become available.
As it stands now, the Warriors' roster is more well-rounded than last year's group. Of course, the expected return of Klay Thompson looms large, and how the star guard looks upon his return from a torn Achilles will go a long way in determining Golden State's place in the title race.
RELATED: Steph sent two clear messages by signing contract extension
Kuminga and Moody are young and will take time to develop, just like 2020 No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman. The Warriors know that. Moody could have a small bench role in Year 1, but Golden State is unlikely to throw either he or Kuminga in the deep end the way they did Wiseman last season.
Curry and Thompson reportedly were present at Moody's workout and were impressed by the young guard. But while the Warriors will try to integrate Moody and Kuminga next season, everyone is aware that their impact on the championship picture will be small if any.
The additions of Porter and Bjelica are solid, and the Warriors still have the mid-level exception to use should they find a veteran worthy of that slot.
Golden State wants to win now. Would the Warriors have traded their picks if Beal or Damian Lillard were available? Possibly. But neither star opted to ask out of their current situation, so the Warriors focused on the future in the draft.
Curry knows Lacob, Bob Myers, Steve Kerr and the Warriors' brain trust want to win at all costs. He sees potential in Moody and Kuminga and knows how quickly the NBA title picture can get shaken up. He believes the Warriors firmly are in it and knows they still have moves that can be made. That the commitment to winning titles is still paramount.
That's why he put pen to paper to finish his prime, and likely his career, as a Warrior.
