The Warriors don’t have to make a Brandin Podziemski decision today, and Monte Poole thinks that matters.
Podziemski is eligible for a rookie extension, but Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area says Golden State would be wiser to hold off and let the 23-year-old play through his fourth NBA season before putting anything on the table. His point is simple: the Warriors should want more evidence before committing.
“You wanna see what (Podziemski) can do under pressure…Let’s see how he does with a team that we expect to have some difficulty early,” said Poole of Podziemski.
That caution comes with real logic behind it. Poole isn’t arguing that the Warriors should move on from Podziemski or act like he hasn’t already shown value.
He played in all 82 games last season and, at different points, looked like a capable scorer and playmaker. But the bigger question is still unanswered.
Is Podziemski already what he is - a solid role player and maybe the team’s fourth or fifth best option - or is there another level coming? Golden State doesn’t know yet, and that uncertainty is exactly why Poole believes the team should wait instead of risking a deal that could look messy down the line.
The restricted free agency route shouldn’t scare the Warriors off, either, even if it would mean having to match an outside offer to keep him. Poole sees that as the right way to handle it, especially with a player whose value still has room to swing either direction.
The first half of the season could tell the whole story. If Podziemski shines while the Warriors are missing key pieces like Jimmy Butler, he’ll set himself up for a major payday. If he wobbles and shows the uneven stretches that have surfaced at times during his first few seasons, Golden State might be able to keep him at a lower number.
That tension is part of why Podziemski remains such a debated player among fans. Some of that comes from moments when he’s “stuck his foot in his mouth,” but the bigger issue is that he still hasn’t settled the conversation on what he ultimately is.
Steve Kerr believes in him and sees a player who can be really solid. He may have a voice in the final call. But for now, the clearest message is the one Poole laid out: be patient, stay cautious, and let Podziemski’s next stretch of basketball do the talking.
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The bigger question, though, is how much of this group will actually be available when camp gets rolling and how quickly the rotation can take shape before the NBA season opens Oct. 21. Curry is managing a knee issue, and there is no sense of urgency around his contract situation, which only adds to the feeling that the Warriors are entering camp with more to sort through than a typical contender. For a team still trying to balance its veteran core with a younger supporting cast, the first few days in Hawaii should reveal plenty about the shape of this season, even if the most important answers are still waiting to be found. [Read more 🡒]