The Golden State Warriors still need to decide on Stephen Curry's backcourt partner before the start of the season.
Given the absence of Kristaps Porzingis from training camp, the Warriors' confirmed starting lineup for their first preseason matchup on Oct. 4 feels relatively significant. Golden State will start Curry and Brandin Podziemski in tandem in the backcourt, while Yaxel Lendeborg, Draymond Green, and Al Horford will form the Warriors' frontcourt trio.
There's certainly room for some things to change here. But it feels as though the Warriors are attempting to maximize their 3-point shooting and floor spacing with Porzingis out of the lineup, and that likely gives Podziemski an early lead in the competition between him and Melton for the starting spot.
But the Warriors chose Melton over other options in free agency because of his defensive fit next to Curry, and if Podziemski shows some inconsistencies or a lack of confidence at all in the preseason, they may quickly return to that conclusion by the time the regular season kicks off. Conversely, if Melton shows that he has his shooting form back after offseason thumb surgery, Golden State may reach the same decision.
In short, Podziemski's margin in the competition, if it truly exists, must be considered pretty thin at this juncture.
Brandin Podziemski has too much room for error to presume he has the starting spot locked down
If we see the version of Podziemski we saw late last season when the rotation was depleted, what harm is there in starting him? After he stepped into the starting lineup in late February, he averaged 17.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists while knocking down 38% of his attempts from beyond the arc.
At the very least, he can help provide some additional offensive punch in the early minutes of games with Porzingis out.
But if there's one thing we know about Podziemski, it's that he's inconsistent, and his confidence can easily waver over the course of an 82-game season. The decision between Podziemski and Melton for the starting spot will likely come down to whether Steve Kerr thinks that Podziemski can carry over the momentum he gained late last season. If he's consistently hitting his 3-point shots during the preseason and operating with confidence with the ball in his hands, that choice could be made much easier.
Melton also isn't coming off the most inspiring end to his previous campaign. Over his final 17 games, he averaged just 11.7 points while shooting 38.6% from the field and 28.9% from beyond the arc.
It was revealed this week, though, that Melton had surgery on both his thumbs this offseason, and the dip in his shooting efficiency late last season can at least be partially attributed to the discomfort he was feeling at that time. If Melton is able to hit his perimeter shots at a rate close to Podziemski's, the defensive impact he provides in the backcourt may very well be enough to give him the edge over the young guard.
There will be pressure from Melton even if Podziemski enters the season as the starting shooting guard for Golden State. Melton accepted another player option on a two-year deal this offseason, meaning this campaign represents another chance for him to majorly increase his earning potential on the open market.
Unless Podziemski finally shakes off all the inconsistencies we've seen from him over his first three seasons, therefore, it's hard to imagine his place in the starting lineup has already become a permanent decision.
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