Young guard's statement shows the obvious move Warriors need to make
Steve Kerr continues to experiment with the Golden State Warriors starting lineup throughout the preseason, making two changes in Wednesday's 122-112 victory against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center.
Veteran center Kevon Looney replaced Trayce Jackson-Davis as the starting center, while young guard Brandin Podziemski joined Stephen Curry in the back-court in place of offseason signing De'Anthony Melton.
Brandin Podziemski's own comments proves he should return to a sixth man role with the Warriors
While there's intrigue on what Kerr will ultimately do in the front-court, the battle to join Curry in the back-court is also a fascinating one. Podziemski, Melton and Hield were all impressive on Wednesday in their own right, particularly the latter who had a game-high 22 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the floor and 6-of-7 from three-point range.
Melton added four threes and 16 points of his own off the bench, and Podziemski did a bit of everything with eight points, four rebounds and eight assists in a game-high 23 minutes.
It's the eight assists that stick out for Podziemski though, especially given he only committed one turnover in the process. Asked about his role after the game, the 21-year-old gave a hint to his preference despite being viewed as a combo-guard.
“Obviously I can play both but I feel more comfortable on the ball," Podziemski said. "For me, my job when I’m out there as a point guard is to get everybody involved.”
Wednesday's game showed that Podziemski can be a reliable backup point guard for Golden State, and honestly that should be his primary focus during his second NBA season. That's not to say he won't play significant minutes alongside Curry at different stages, but providing him maximum ball-handling and playmaking duties in a sixth man role may be best for both him and the team.
Melton has been arguably the most impressive aspect to the Warriors first two preseason games, having appeared to fit in seamlessly while showcasing his shooting, defense and ability to be a secondary ball-handler and playmaker.
He may have come off the bench against the Kings, but the 26-year-old should be firming as the starting two-guard next to Curry. That will only be solidified further if Andrew Wiggins doesn't return in time to regain a starting role, leaving Melton as Golden State's primary perimeter defender.
Kerr confirmed on Thursday that Wiggins is likely to miss the next two games against the Kings and Detroit Pistons, meaning he'll only have two more opportunities to hit the floor in preseason after dealing with illness throughout training camp.