Golden State Warriors discussions this summer focus primarily on Jonathan Kuminga’s contract situation and potential free agent additions.
Rumors about the signing of Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton’s return continue circulating throughout the offseason.
Current roster development receives less attention despite several young players showing improvement.
Former player Baron Davis recently criticized three Warriors players, stating that Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and Brandin Podziemski aren’t superstars the team needs.
However, NBA insider Zach Lowe has another thought regarding Podziemski’s potential. The analyst believes the soon-to-be third-year player deserves more recognition for his development trajectory.
Lowe highlighted specific improvements in Podziemski’s shooting confidence and overall production during his sophomore campaign with the Golden State Warriors.
The insider praised Podziemski’s three-point shooting development and ability to overcome adversity during last season. His shooting percentage and volume both increased significantly from his rookie year.
“Podz last year deserves a lot of credit. He finished at 37% from three and took five a game, basically, which is more than he took as a rookie,” Lowe explained.
Podziemski faced additional pressure from public comments about his All-Star potential that created unwanted attention. Despite the scrutiny, he maintained confidence and worked through difficult stretches.
“And with the exception of about a week when he looked kind of afraid to shoot or unwilling to shoot, he shot and played his way through a really horrible slump where he had to answer a lot of questions about stuff that his team’s owner said about him being an All-Star, that he probably didn’t want said, and just got said and put this sort of a low of pressure over him,” Lowe added.
Podziemski’s overall scoring improved from 9.2 points per game as a rookie to 11.7 points last season. His confidence in both two-point and three-point shooting contributed to the increased production.
The guard became the Warriors’ fourth-highest scorer during his sophomore campaign. If Kuminga departs as reports suggest, Podziemski could emerge as the team’s third primary scoring option behind Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler.
Lowe emphasized Podziemski’s well-rounded contributions beyond pure scoring numbers. His versatility and basketball IQ make him valuable across multiple areas of the game.
“Podz is a really good basketball player. He does a lot of things really, really well. He averaged 12 points a game last year in 27 minutes a game,” Lowe noted.
Lowe established realistic expectations for Podziemski’s offensive development while acknowledging his potential for increased responsibility. The analyst doesn’t expect explosive scoring jumps but sees steady improvement.
“I don’t see Podz popping into like a 24 point a game, 21 point a game scorer. But can you get to 17, 18 take a little bit more of a load [off Steph],” he projected.
Podziemski must maintain his improved three-point shooting percentage while continuing to take confident shots. His 37% efficiency from beyond the arc represents a significant asset if sustained.
His defensive development also showed progress with increased steals per game while maintaining stable turnover numbers. The two-way improvement suggests well-rounded player development that the Warriors really need on their roster.
