The Golden State Warriors aren't too concerned with Monday's deadline for rookie extensions this year, but that's not to say they won't have an eye on deals that get done around the league as they prepare for another contract situation next offseason.
The Portland Trail Blazers executed what initially appears as a pair of team-friendly contracts on Sunday, potentially giving the Warriors leverage when it comes to negotiations with Brandin Podziemski in less than 12 months time.
Trail Blazers deals might set the market for Brandin Podziemski
As reported by ESPN's Shams Charania, Portland has signed young duo Shaedon Sharpe and Toumani Carama to four-year, $90 million and four-year, $82 million extensions respectively on the eve of the season.
As young, starting quality players still emerging in the league, this $20-23 million range for both players could set a market for what Golden State might be prepared to pay Podziemski next offseason.
With Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and now Jonathan Kuminga all under contract until the 2026-27 season, and Moses Moody for a year beyond that, Podziemski now figures as the next big contract talking point for the Warriors after dealing with the Kuminga situation over recent months.
It is worth noting that Podziemski too is contracted until the end of the 2026-27 season, but both sides may very well be eager to get an extension done before then after the Kuminga experience typified a tough market for restricted free agents this offseason.
While it took far longer than they would have hoped, the Warriors eventually used their leverage in restricted free agency to bring Kuminga back on a deal that was far more on their terms after extensive negotiations.
Having seen Kuminga, Josh Giddey and others go through their contract issues in recent months, the likes of Sharpe and Camara may have been willing to take slightly less just in order to get a deal done and lock in life-changing money.
Golden State might be able to use that to their advantage next year, depending of course on how Podziemski plays in his third NBA season. Right now it's hard to see how the former 19th overall pick could justify asking for more than what Sharpe and Camara just got as similarly young, starting-calibre players.
What Podziemski's projected next contract looks like could be entirely different by the end of the season than what it does now, but either way the Warriors are likely to have leverage in a way they recently had with Kuminga.