After the season-ending ACL tear to Jimmy Butler, the Golden State Warriors will now be forced to do something they have long avoided. Commit to the young players, and use this time to allow them to develop.
Of course, a massive move at the trade deadline is still on the table. That would turn everything on its head, especially if the Warriors still somehow have expectations of competing for a championship this season.
Yet as things stand currently, it appears as though their best move is to await Butler's return rather than selling out the farm to elevate a fringe play-in team.
Nevertheless, there will hopefully still be silver linings to take from this season. Brandin Podziemski, on Sunday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves, revealed that he might be one of them.
Brandin Podziemski's development over the remainder of the season could be absolutely crucial
Since Podziemski emerged as an impact player as a rookie, expectations for him have been high among Warriors fans. Many expected him to rapidly become a crucial complementary piece to Stephen Curry, later becoming an instrumental part of their rebuild post-Curry.
In that regard, he has fallen short. Last season, it was clear his confidence and aggression in his shot-taking took a major dip. This season, he's rebounded, but he's still averaging just 12.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists while shooting 39% from beyond the arc.
It's not as though patience is running thin with him in Golden State. He is still an integral part of their future.
Yet with Butler out for the remainder of the season, Podziemski will get the opportunity to prove he can be more than a valuable role player.
He has started all three games since Butler went down in Miami. While his numbers haven't seen an immediate uptick, his aggression has.
Against Minnesota, it was clear that Podziemski was hunting his shots, going at defenders and challenging the Timberwolves throughout the course of the game with his speed and deceleration abilities. He shot 6-of-10 from the floor on the night in 22 minutes.
If the Warriors want to be true championship contenders next season, let alone compete after the closure of their current championship window, Podziemski will be absolutely crucial. If he can use the remainder of the season to continue to develop his game, amping up his scoring numbers and his confidence, there could be a silver lining to this season after all.