Many were left questioning the Golden State Warriors' decision to sign Brandin Podziemski to a five-year, $110 million contract extension, believing that it was overs for a player who'd yet to fully cement himself as a starting level player.
But the early indications from the start of the season are that Podziemski isn't just worth $22.5 million per season, but that he may actually be worth more as the Warriors recover from three-straight losses with three-straight wins.
Brandin Podziemski is already making Warriors' contract decision look smart
Podziemski played a pivotal role in Golden State's historic comeback win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night. They overcame a 25-point first half deficit to claim a 112-95 victory -- the largest margin of victory by any team to trail by 25 during a game in NBA history.
The fourth-year guard finished with 21 points, five rebounds, six assists and two steals, shooting 7-of-15 from the floor and 4-of-9 from three-point range. He's now averaging 16.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists on the short season to date, proving perfect numbers as a third fiddle behind Stephen Curry and Yaxel Lendeborg.
Most importantly for the Warriors, Podziemski is once again contributing to winning basketball. The trust from Steve Kerr -- one that's often caused frustration from fans -- stems from being a plus-minus King. That's once again proving the case early this season, with Podziemski's +43 being over double the next best Warrior which is Georges Niang at +20.
Golden State have now won three of their four games with Podziemski, and it should be four from four if not for a complete meltdown against the Memphis Grizzlies last Friday when they surrended a 12-point lead in the last 12 minutes. Podziemski missed the season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers due to back soreness, before resting on the second night of a back-to-back in Phoenix last Saturday.
Warriors might have got a steal with Brandin Podziemsi extension
Consistent production has often been a concern for Podziemski throughout each of the past two years, but there's a key difference this season that's easily identifiable through the eye test. There's an extra burst of speed, and perhaps more importantly more clarity with his decision making.
There's still a chance that Podziemski's extension isn't just a viable one, but actually a steal that greatly helps the Warriors and their roster-building going forward. This isn't to say Podziemski is going to become a star like he may have once envisioned for himself, but many high-end role players are still worth $30 million in today's NBA landscape.
Add us as a preferred source on Google