Ranking the 3 biggest positives from the Golden State Warriors' season

3. Brandin Podziemski

Few could have expected Brandin Podziemski to have the impact he did on the Warriors this season, particularly after an underwhelming Summer League campaign where he shot just 26.3% from the floor and 21.7% from three-point range.

After three DNP's to start the season, Podziemski showcased his impact in his first career game with five points, eight rebounds, two assists and as a +15 against the New Orleans Pelicans. His breakout game came shortly after at home against Minnesota, with a short-handed Golden State opening up the opportunity for Podziemski to play 39 minutes in recording 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

From there on the 19th overall pick was a consistent part of the rotation, earning Steve Kerr's trust in a manner few young players have over recent seasons. Podziemski went on to average nearly 27 minutes per game, including having taken the starting shooting-guard job from Klay Thompson for a brief period in the second half of the season. His ability to impact the game in a variety of ways quickly became apparent, with his influence on winning highlighted in the fact he led the Warriors in total plus-minus on the season (his +264 was +75 ahead of second-placed Stephen Curry).

The 21-year-old's commitment was showcased by the fact he led the entire league in drawn charges, while among rookies he finished eighth in total points, eighth in steals, third in rebounds, fourth in assists and second in plus-minus.

Franchise's are hoping to get a genuine rotation player with a later first-round pick, but usually they take years to materialize if at all. The Warriors know they have a 25-minute per game player after just one season, which is a huge credit to Podziemski and a major revelation to take from the season. It also can't be ignored that he's under team control on a rookie scale deal for another three seasons, a huge factor for a franchise with the league's highest payroll.