As the Golden State Warriors appear poised to bring in multiple veteran guards this offseason, it is clear that they are looking to shore up the depth in their backcourt behind Brandin Podziemski and Buddy Hield.
Yet, in doing so, they will undoubtedly create another test for Podziemski, forcing him to fight for his minutes and the starting shooting guard spot yet again.
In his young career, Podziemski has already shown great signs of promise on offense, but he has largely struggled when asked to be a primary creator. As the Warriors aim desperately for contention next season, there will be very little room for error as Podziemski attempts to cement himself in the team's backcourt.
Brandin Podziemski will face pressure to take over a starting spot next season
When De'Anthony Melton joined the team last offseason, Podziemski, who was coming off of an excellent rookie year, was widely expected to compete heavily with Melton for the starting shooting guard spot.
Yet, as Melton showed more confidence in training camp and showed flashes of his defensive skill, he ultimately earned the spot to begin the season. Even when Melton suffered a season-ending injury after just six appearances with the team, Podziemski did not begin starting games on a regular basis until February.
Nevertheless, Podziemski's offensive production remained consistent through injuries and constrained minutes. Through 64 games, he averaged 11.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting 37.2% from 3-point range.
By the end of the season, he had claimed the starting shooting guard spot and looked to be in a position to continue in that role for the foreseeable future. Yet, a series of shoddy performances in the playoffs, when he was asked to take on more duties in the absences of Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, have injected doubt into this conversation yet again.
Throughout the offseason, Golden State has maintained their interest in bringing in players like De'Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II and Seth Curry, with even someone like Malcolm Brogdon having been connected to the team at various points.
Therefore, if the team is able to pull off any number of these signings, Podziemski will yet again have pressure on him to perform as he enters his third season in the league.
Although, out of this group, it is likely that only Melton has a shot at a starting job, a crowded backcourt could force Podziemski to begin taking the necessary strides in his game rather quickly in order to separate himself from the pack. In short, fans can only hope that the looming pressure brings the best out of the young guard.