As the Golden State Warriors have attempted to find a resolution to their Jonathan Kuminga conundrum this offseason, new rumors have arisen that the team might contemplate a trade Chicago Bulls restricted free agent Josh Giddey.
While Giddey's acquisition would immediately elevate the Warriors' rotation, it could also counterintuitively allow young guard Brandin Podziemski a role more suited to his skill-set, giving the growing player room to thrive within the team's structure.
While the specifics of a Giddey deal would be complicated, and could certainly involve a Kuminga-Giddey sign-and-trade swap, such a deal could solidify their backcourt as one of the best in the league.
Brandin Podziemski could take on a less high-pressure role following a Giddey trade
As the offseason opened, one of the primary suitors for a Jonathan Kuminga trade was the Chicago Bulls, who faded away as they attempted to deal with their own restricted free agent: Giddey.
Giddey, 22, had an impressive first season in Chicago following his trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Through 70 games, he averaged 14.6 points, 7.2 assists and 1.2 steals, shooting 37.8% from beyond the arc.
Most impressively, Giddey posted high assist numbers as well as a high assist-to-turnover ratio on a subpar offensive roster, taking the step forward in his playmaking game that his organization strongly desired him to.
Now, however, the Bulls must reckon with the fact that their trade for Giddey panned out successfully, and they must either choose to pay him or orchestrate some sort of sign-and-trade.
Giddey could pair perfectly with Stephen Curry in the Warriors' backcourt, taking over primary ball-handling duties and operating off of Curry's gravity in order to get open looks for the team's perimeter shooters as well as players like Butler on the interior.
Such a trade, however, would effectively push Podziemski out of the starting line-up, limiting his minutes and again denying him the starting shooting guard position.
Nevertheless, in not being required to take on heavy playmaking duties and minutes, Podziemski could thrive on the bench, honing in his shooting and his confidence on the floor to become a high-impact player for Golden State.
Last season, Podziemski performed well, averaging 11.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists, but his 3-point shooting percentage, a vital part of his game, dropped 13 percentage points from his mark during his rookie year.
Therefore, Giddey's arrival, assuming it doesn't involve the team moving on from Podziemski, could mean a less high-pressure role for the young guard, granting him the opportunity to continue to develop in a way that would be more suited to his skill-set.