The Golden State Warriors bet on Brandin Podziemski's future with the organization before the February trade deadline. Anthony Slater and Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic reported that the Warriors turned down several "appealing offers" for the guard (subscription required).
Podziemski averaged 11.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per game in his second season since the Warriors drafted him. He shot 44.5% from the field and 37.2% from three, down from his shooting percentages last season, but he averaged more shot attempts in 2024-25.
He had an up-and-down season, including the playoffs. Podziemski finished with 14, 0, and 10 points in the Warriors' first three games against the Rockets in the first round, but exploded for 26 points (9-of-18 shooting) in Game 4. He averaged 8.1 points per game across the next seven contests before he had yet another big night — 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting in Wednesday's season-ending loss to the Timberwolves.
The Athletic noted that those who favored exploring Podziemski's value before the deadline think Golden State needs "more of a Jordan Poole-type of playmaker." As in, the Warriors need someone who isn't afraid to shoot and take some of the playmaking load off Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler.
Podziemski shot 4-of-6 from three in Game 5 of the semifinals, but passed up several open looks from deep. Steve Kerr said he told the 22-year-old that when Golden State makes it back to the postseason next year, he isn't "gonna turn down a single shot."
Warriors hoping their belief in Brandin Podziemski will pay off
As Kerr highlighted, playing in your first postseason is a learning experience. He said that Podziemski will learn to stay aggressive and confident, regardless of having a bad game (or games). Having that kind of playoff experience in year two will help Podziemski as he continues to grow and develop.
Joe Lacob told The Athletic that his wish is for the team's young players to "take yet another leap." It sounds like Podziemski is part of their future, especially after they kept him through the deadline, but anything can happen in the summer. Golden State has only a few avenues to upgrade the roster, with one of those being Podziemski.
The Warriors picked up his $3.7 million team option for 2025-26, and he has another in 2026-27 at $5.7 million that will undoubtedly be picked up. The CBA incentivizes teams to develop their draft picks, making Podziemski that much more important. However, the issue with Golden State is that its title window with Curry, Butler, and Draymond Green is very short. How will Podziemski grow from year two to three? And three to four?
It's way too early to write Podziemski off after his first postseason experience, and the front office seems to think the same. The hope is he'll grow into the kind of scorer and playmaker the Warriors need, or else they could regret not cashing in on his value before February's deadline.