Brandin Podziemski has expressed his desire for the Golden State Warriors to draft an immediete contributor, but the young guard could become a victim of his own request if the franchise can land Arizona guard Brayden Burries with the 11th overall pick.
Podziemski slots in as the starting shooting guard almost by default given the Warriors only have six players currently contracted for next season, yet that could change if Burries falls to them as has been suggested in recent days.
Brandin Podziemski could be a victim of his own request
Speaking recently to 95.7 The Game's Willard & Dibs, Podziemski stopped short of mentioning a specific player but does hope for someone who can step in and make an impact from day one.
"I think the obvious answer is someone who's ready to play or he can play right away. Someone that has experience, is physically mature enough to play in the games right away. I think that's kind of, as an organization, where we're at. We're at the stage where we're trying to win as much as we can," Podziemski said.
As much as Podziemski is taking the team-first approach here and is simply wanting someone that can make the roster better, he would only be human to consider how a player might also impact him individually.
The 23-year-old is Golden State's most valuable young player after the franchise blew their lottery picks across the 2020-21 drafts, but that will assuredly change next week unless the 11th pick is moved in a trade for a veteran player.
Burries, for example, would not only become the Warriors' most valuable young player, he could also take a spot in the starting backcourt alongside Stephen Curry depending on what happens elsewhere on the roster and how the 20-year-old performs in training camp.
Brayden Burries could fall to Warriors on draft night
The fact Burries was willing to hold a workout with Golden State -- when he refused to for some teams in the top 10 -- is an indication that he's willing to join the organization and could realistically be there when Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the front office are on the clock.
Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints had Burries heading to the Warriors in his latest mock draft on Friday, reporting that the franchise has "genuine interest in his unique blend of skills as a long-term prospect with win-now tendencies."
As for Podziemski, he'll want surely want to retain a starting role and play heavy minutes, especially if the Warriors aren't willing to give him an extension this offseason and instead let him head into restricted free agency next year.
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