The Golden State Warriors defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 119-109, to start the 2025-26 NBA season at 1-0. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr opted to go with Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga in the starting lineup, alongside Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler. Following the game, Kerr hinted at a potential starting lineup change for the Warriors once Moses Moody returns to the court, as per 95.7 The Game.

“The lineup decision was based on Moses Moody not being available,” Steve Kerr said. “I would have started Moses had he been healthy, based on how we finished last year. We really found a good group.”

It was not clear, however, if Kerr was referring to either Podziemski or Kuminga being replaced by Moody in the starting lineup. Lineup-wise, it would make much more sense for Podziemski to move to the bench and Moody to slot in at shooting guard alongside Stephen Curry in the backcourt. Replacing Kuminga with Moody would only complicate things in that the Warriors would be making themselves incredibly vulnerable given that potential lineup’s lack of size.

The starting lineup that ended the season last year for the Warriors was actually the latter with Curry, Butler, Green, Moody and Podziemski being the group that began the team’s playoff series against the Houston Rockets. Kerr opted to change his starting lineup multiple times in that series, with Kuminga and Quinten Post starting in Game 3, Buddy Hield starting in Game 4 and Gary Payton II starting in Game 6.

Last season, Moody appeared in a career-high 74 games, including 34 starts, at a little over 22 minutes per game. He averaged 9.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists with splits of 43.3 percent shooting from the field, 37.4 percent shooting from the three-point line and 79.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

The No. 14 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Moody is dealing with a calf injury that kept him out of the season opener against the Lakers.