As the Golden State Warriors prepare for a busy offseason, they are expected to make some key roster choices.
On March 30, the Golden State Warriors easily dispatched the San Antonio Spurs. The Warriors won 148- 106 and never trailed, and were led by Brandin Podziemski’s 27 points. He shot seven of nine from 3-point range in the win, and the Warriors as a whole shot 47.7% from deep, making it impossible for the Spurs to stay in the game.
Podziemski has spent recent months overcoming a slow start to the season and is back in his All-Rookie form from last year. During his rookie campaign, he looked like the type of player the Warriors could build around in the tail end of Stephen Curry’s career, although after the Warriors went all-in on Jimmy Butler in February, developing young talent is the last thing on their mind.
For fans, this story should sound familiar. The Warriors won a title in 2022 in large part thanks to youngster Jordan Poole stepping up in a big way, but he was quickly run out of town by Draymond Green and the team’s desperation to stay afloat.
Unfortunately, a similar story could happen with Podziemski.
The Warriors have made it clear since last season that they see Podziemski as a long-term fixture of their rotation, but he started this season cold and it took him a while to get his hot hand back.
Before the All-Star Break, he was averaging just 9.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting just 32% from 3-point range. He has since improved and has benefited greatly from the arrival of Butler.
Steve Kerr seems to think Podziemski can fit in with their current rotation, saying, “The connection that he’s got with Draymond and Jimmy, just making these reads, it’s fun to watch.”
Heading into next season, the Warriors will have very real title aspirations. They will still have Draymond Green and Stephen Curry under contract, and have extended Butler for the next two seasons.
With a title-or-bust mentality, expect Golden State to make moves with short-term success on their mind, and Podziemski’s recent stretch might have stamped his spot in the rotation for the future.
Heading into the summer, Jonathan Kuminga, Gary Payton II, and Kevon Looney will all be free agents. Moses Moody and Buddy Hield have been the subject of some trade speculation, and Podziemski was made untouchable last season in talks for Lauri Markkanen and Paul George, but that likely won’t be the case this summer.
After trading Poole to the Washington Wizards in 2023, the Warriors missed the playoffs the following year. The lesson was clearly learned: some degree of continuity is a good thing, and keeping good vibes intact is worth more than adding random talent.
This summer, whichever youngster fits in best with the All-Star trio will likely stay in Golden State. Kuminga and Butler haven’t really shared the floor, and his recent injury will continue to prevent that. Moody’s trade value will likely be at an all-time high, and Podziemski has averaged 17 points on ridiculous efficiency over the last five games, proving that he can share the court with the established stars.
Moving forward, Podziemski may have once again forced the Warriors to think long and hard before parting ways with him.
