Brandin Podziemski has been a polarizing figure among Golden State Warriors fans for a number of years, but his ability just to hit the floor consistently is an underrated aspect that can no longer be ignored on an otherwise aging and injury-prone team.
The Warriors have been ravaged by injury this season, and most notably ever since Jimmy Butler's torn ACL in January, yet Podziemski has been the one constant in what's been a revolving rotation door.
Brandin Podziemski's availability can no longer be ignored
While his game can be inconsistent and lead to criticism among fans, Podziemski's ability to be available is truly valuable and has to be considered when evaluating his overall impact on this version of the Warriors.
The third-year guard is the only Golden State player to have appeared in all 75 games so far this season. In fact, the only other pair to have missed less than 10 games are Gary Payton II and Quinten Post (both 67 games).
Podziemski has played 2137 total minutes this season, which is over 400 more than the second-ranked Draymond Green. While many fans would argue some of that is Steve Kerr's fault for leaning on Podziemski too much, it's been out of necessity over recent months given the extensive injury woes and shortened rotation.
There's some who believe the Warriors would be best served by moving on from Podziemski this offseason, and that's understandable if the 23-year-old is required in a blockbuster trade package for a superstar like Giannis Antetokounmpo.
However, failing a no-brainer trade, Podziemski still holds immense value to Golden State for multiple reasons, and therefore is more than worth holding onto despite the reputation he may have garnered among fans.
Brandin Podziemski remains important to the Warriors next season
While not necessarily the star he or the franchise previously envisioned, we know Podziemski is a good rotation player capable of fitting with veteran stars. Combine this with his still cheap $5.7 million deal in the final year of his rookie contract, and you have a player the Warriors shouldn't easily part ways with.
But more than anything, Podziemski's availability will continue to be vital on a team that's set to be even older next season. Stephen Curry will enter at 38-years-old, Draymond Green at 36, Jimmy Butler at 36 off a torn ACL, and Kristaps Porzingis (30) and Al Horford (39) potentially back with Golden State as well.
As they say, the best ability is availability. Podziemski has that in spades, having missed only 18 regular season games since his debut back in 2023.