The Warriors’ decision to bring back De’Anthony Melton may have quietly revealed where Brandin Podziemski stands heading into October.
Golden State gave Melton a new two-year, $12.4 million deal, a move that points straight at fit alongside Stephen Curry. It was also a choice that drew plenty of attention because the Warriors passed on more offense-first options. But if the team made that call with Curry in mind, it likely says something important about the starting backcourt picture.
That battle appears to be between Melton and Podziemski. Both got extended run late last season when Curry missed 27 straight games with a knee injury, and Podziemski handled that stretch well. Even so, his best version may still come when he’s sharing the floor with Curry and/or Jimmy Butler rather than trying to carry a unit on his own.
As ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported at the end of last month: "In early July, after internal discussion, they opted for a reunion with De'Anthony Melton over a pursuit of Anfernee Simons at a similar two-year, $11 million price point, believing Melton better fit a backcourt need next to Curry."
That framing matters. If Melton is the preferred fit next to Curry, then Steve Kerr may be leaning toward starting those two together and sending Podziemski to the bench.
That wouldn’t mean a small role. It would mean a different one, with Podziemski likely doing more of his work leading a second unit while Curry sits.
There’s also a twist in how Podziemski finished last season. His stronger play down the stretch could actually work against him here, because he showed he can produce without Curry.
After the All-Star break, he averaged 17.5 point, 6.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists. That kind of stretch only strengthens the case that he can handle a bigger offensive load, but it doesn’t necessarily make him the best answer next to Curry in the starting five.
Podziemski should still play plenty and log major minutes. The issue is whether that usage comes in the role he wants entering a crucial fourth season.
The same uncertainty may also shape the Warriors’ approach to a possible extension. If there’s still real doubt about whether Podziemski starts, it’s difficult to imagine Golden State rushing into a deal that would lock him in before restricted free agency. A wait-and-see approach would give the Warriors more information about where he fits in a healthy rotation, while also helping preserve projected cap space next offseason and keeping the leverage that comes with restricted free agency.
Plenty of people may already be penciling Podziemski into the starting lineup based on how he finished last year. But the decision to bring back Melton suggests the edge may belong to him as training camp and preseason get underway.
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