A season full of nothing but speculation and reporting has continued for the Golden State Warriors this week, including a new twist that has the franchise linked to a trade for restricted free agent Josh Giddey according to NBA insider Jake Fischer.
While Giddey makes some sense in the Warrior system as a high IQ, elite-level ball-handler and playmaker, actually acquiring the Australian point guard would be quite stunning given the complications surrounding a double sign-and-trade involving two free agents that are impacted by base-year compensation rules.
If Golden State were to pull it off, which would include sacrificing at least one of Buddy Hield or Moses Moody, then it would deal a crushing blow to Brandin Podziemski and his dreams of becoming a star with the franchise.
Warriors trading for Josh Giddey would be bad news for Brandin Podziemski
Despite becoming the solidified starting shooting guard for Steve Kerr after the All-Star break, and shooting nearly 44% from 3-point range during that period, Podziemski’s role at the Warriors is far from set in stone entering training camp and preseason.
Giddey is just the latest in a string of guards that Golden State have been linked to this offseason, many of which would or could have wrenched a starting spot away from the former 19th overall pick.
The Warriors expressed interest in Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal before they signed elsewhere, while the franchise is expected to sign De’Anthony Melton and potentially Seth Curry as well once Jonathan Kuminga's situation is resolved. Along with reporting the Giddey news, Fischer also reiterated that Golden State retains interest in veteran point guard Malcolm Brogdon.
It doesn’t bode overly well for Podziemski, yet he’d feel comfortable about retaining the starting two-guard role ahead of (Seth) Curry, Brogdon and Melton -- at least while the latter makes his early returns from a torn ACL suffered last November.
However, Giddey would be a different conversation. The Warriors would be bringing the 22-year-old in on a $20+ million per year deal at an absolute minimum, while there’s no way he’d leave his job security at the Chicago Bulls without a guaranteed starting spot in the Bay.
That would push Podziemski back into a bench role, and though he could remain valuable in such a spot, it’s not necessarily conducive to becoming the player he envisages to be in his continued development.
Then you have the contract side of things where Podziemski will be extension eligible next offseason. Not only would a bench role likely decrease his financial value, but Golden State would also be asking themselves if they can pay big money to all three of Stephen Curry, Giddey and Podziemski by the time the 2027-28 season rolls around.
The Warriors will believe they have time to figure that out over the next two years, but Podziemski doesn’t particularly have that benefit particularly after seeing the fate that restricted free agents have found themselves in this offseason.
Giddey might be able to provide significant impact and make the Warriors better next season and beyond, but it would only be human nature for Podziemski to secretly hope that these reports are nothing but only preliminary interest without going further.