The Golden State Warriors are trying to use the concept of restricted free agency to maximum capacity this offseason, intent on retaining Jonathan Kuminga despite his desire to leave for a pacific rival in the Sacramento Kings or Phoenix Suns.
The way in which the Warriors have handled this increasingly disastrous Kuminga situation makes for an intriguing watch on how they do so in the future. Fans won't have to wait long to see how the franchise approaches contract negotiations on another young player, with Brandin Podziemski set to become extension-eligible next offseason.
Will the Warriors get a deal done with Brandin Podziemski next year?
Clearly there's a lot to play out over the next 12 months in regard to Podziemski and his development in conjunction with the team, having already become a key piece of Steve Kerr's rotation from midway through his rookie year.
Podziemski's ability to take on the role playing elements early in his career has certainly led to increased trust from Kerr in comparison to what's been seen with Kuminga, but that might also provide he and his agents with extra ammunition when it comes to contract negotiations next offseason.
The 22-year-old has incredibly led the team in plus-minus across his first two years in the league, and while he had some well-chronicled shooting struggles early last season, he certainly showed notable improvement after the All-Star break.
There's enough production behind him to suggest that a Podziemski extension next offseason could reach at least $25-30 million per season, but whether Golden State actually are willing to meet that asking price will be fascinating.
One thing working in Podziemski's favor is the fact that the first year of an extension (2027-28) comes after the current contracts of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green. That's a major difference to the current negotiations with Kuminga where the Warriors have to figure his salary into the over $130 million that they have tied up in the veteran trio in each of the next two years.
By the start of Podziemski's extension, Curry, Butler and Green will all likely be on lesser deals than what they are currently (assuming their still on the roster at all). That would help Golden State accomodate Podziemski's major pay rise, yet it doesn't mean they'll just cave into what the young guard is after.
Podziemski's development will not only be important for the success of the Warriors in the next two years, but will be intriguing in terms of their long-term payroll situation and what his extension number could look like.