Brandin Podziemski was a coveted man this summer. Around the NBA draft, other teams were calling with draft pick offers for the 21-year-old guard following an impressive rookie season. His name came up in brief sign-and-trade talks around Paul George. When the Warriors and Jazz engaged in more serious talks about a Lauri Markkanen trade later in the summer, Podziemski was one of Utah’s key demands.
Podziemski wasn’t stressing about any of it, telling Anthony Slater of The Athletic that Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. told him they were going to keep him in the Bay Area.
“A lot of these other teams are calling about you,” Podziemski said Dunleavy told him. “They want you, but you’re not going anywhere. You’re ours.”...
That’s around the same time Podziemski ran into Warriors owner Joe Lacob. They both were at a Las Vegas Aces game during summer league and crossed paths at halftime. Lacob, according to Podziemski, told him he’d seen Jazz owner Ryan Smith at dinner the night before and let it be known Podziemski was protected.
“He told me, ‘You don’t have anything to worry about. You’re a priority here,’” Podziemski said. “I appreciate that, being a rookie and going into my second year, hearing that from such a prestigious organization.
The reality: Podziemski was safe unless there was a godfather offer the Warriors couldn’t refuse. That offer never came.
Podziemski spent part of his summer with the USA Select Team in Las Vegas, working out and scrimmaging against the USA Basketball squad that won gold at the Paris Olympics.
For a stretch last season, Podziemski moved into the starting lineup and Klay Thompson went to the bench (he also started in front of Andrew Wiggins at points). With Thompson in Dallas this season, the starting two guard spot next to Stephen Curry belongs to Podziemski (with Buddy Hield coming off the bench behind him). If the Warriors are going to take a step forward off their 46-win, 10th-seed season (where they didn’t get out of the Play-In Tournament), Podziemski and other young star Jonathan Kuminga are going to have to step into larger roles and thrive. The Warriors added veteran depth with Hield, De’Anthony Melton and Kyle Anderson, but that only helps if the youth movement also takes a step forward.
The trade rumors are not going to stop — Golden State did not add another star, another elite shot creator to take some of the offensive load off Curry. Because of that, the rumors aren’t going away, from the silly (LeBron James) to the serious. Podziemski is going to be in the middle of those.
Podziemski isn’t worried about that, he’s keeping his head down, he said he put in the work this summer and he’s ready to take a step forward this coming season. The Warriors need that.
