It's no secret why the Golden State Warriors envision Brandin Podziemski as a fixture of their immediate present and long-term future. During an appearance on the Tim Kawakami Show in late July, owner Joe Lacob revealed “everyone” with the Dubs is confident Podziemski has what it takes to become an NBA All-Star.
“I do believe that if you talk about Podz in particular, I said it at the Summer League, I think he has the potential to be an All-Star in this league,” Lacob said. “And I absolutely believe it. And so does everyone in our organization.”
The Utah Jazz seem to agree. As the de facto cutoff date for his offseason trade to the Warriors fast approaches, the biggest obstacle to Lauri Markkanen landing in the Bay reportedly remains Golden State's refusal to part with Podziemski. The latest intel is that Utah wants the do-it-all guard as the centerpiece of a trade package for Markkanen instead of Jonathan Kuminga, too.
Mike Dunleavy and the Warriors' front office likely have just a few days before all trade discussions surrounding Markkanen will be shut down until the lead-up to the February 6th trade deadline. The Finnish star is eligible for a contract extension beginning on August 6th, but can't be moved until the trade deadline if he puts pen to paper on a new deal. Otherwise, it's bound to be open season in Salt Lake City come 2024-25, with Danny Ainge opening up the bidding league-wide for Markkanen and other valuable young players as the Jazz look to tank.
Is retaining Podziemski in a deal for Markkanen really worth the prospect of losing out on the latter altogether? That's the question Golden State's head honchos are asking themselves before next Tuesday, no doubt with the answer's effect on Stephen Curry at front of mind.
Brandin Podziemski's future isn't worth Warriors, Stephen Curry missing out on Lauri Markkanen
Golden State must decide on its primary goal over the next two seasons, before Curry—at age 38—is up for a new contract at the conclusion of 2025-26.
Sending Podziemski and multiple first-round picks to Utah in exchange for Markkanen would represent a major win-now move for the Dubs, giving Curry and Draymond Green the type of dynamic seven-footer almost tailer made to maximize and minimize their late-stage strengths and weaknesses. Clinging tight to Podziemski past August 6th as Markkanen signs his extension wouldn't doom Golden State's chances of acquiring Markkanen altogether. He'd be trade eligible again at the deadline, but could the revamped Warriors really compete near the top of a loaded Western Conference come playoff time after adding Markkanen with less than half a season to develop the necessary chemistry and continuity to win at the highest level?
Golden State's apparent appraisal of Podziemski's ceiling yields similar skepticism. He's still just 21, coming off a meteoric rise that began with his transfer to Santa Clara following an invisible freshman season at Illinois and culminated in a First Team All-Rookie selection just two years later. Podziemski will definitely get better from here, and already projects as a player who impacts winning against quality competition entering his second NBA go-around.
Individual development is always met with unique starts and stops, though. Just because Podziemski's arrow has been pointing straight up since he left Illinois hardly means that will last much longer, and his physical limitations suggest it won't.
Podziemski boasts special basketball IQ and processing speed, seeing the game multiple steps ahead of teammates and foes on both sides of the floor. He's a canny dribbler and passer with high-level footwork and understanding of angles finishing in the paint, not to mention a proven three-point shooter whose volume will surely increase going forward. Just those existing traits would make Podziemski close to a star if he wasn't 6'5 with short arms, limited flexibility and lagging all-around explosiveness—an underwhelming physical profile that could substantially lower his peak.
How many All-Stars in recent league vintage have possessed similar deficiencies? Curry and Steve Nash come to mind, but they're historic outliers from a skill perspective. A far easier comparison for Podziemski is to game-changing role players on good teams, like a post-prime Manu Ginobili or Jason Kidd when he was with the Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks. San Antonio Spurs-era Boris Diaw, Nicolas Batum at his best and younger Joe Ingles come to mind, too.
It's much harder to find a second star who fits so well with Curry and Green than a potentially elite role player who could be plugged-and-played as a starter or third guard for pretty much any team in the league. Parting with Podziemski would sting for the Warriors, but watching Curry's twilight fade as they toiled toward the bottom of the Western Conference would hurt even more. It'd be shocking if Podziemski was ever close to as good as Markkanen is right now, and there's no guaranteeing he'd reach that hopeful prime while Curry is still one of the league's best players.
Pick up the phone, Dunleavy. It's time to do right by the greatest player in franchise history, making Podziemski available to the Jazz so Curry can have at least a puncher's chance of making noise in the West alongside Markkanen in 2024-25 and beyond.
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