25-under-25: Brandin Podziemski is the future of Warriors basketball

The Golden State Warriors' stubbornly halfhearted embrace of the "two timelines" approach inevitably backfired. Trying to meld the developmental timelines of lottery picks, such as James Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga, with a mandate to contend at the highest level was like trying to drive a motorcycle off a cliff and while parachuting successfully into the window of a moving train. And, let me tell you, Bob Myers is not Tom Cruise.

It was a bold plan and a foolish one. The Warriors always should've traded that No. 2 pick — or at least used it on a better prospect — but here we are now, in 2024, and Golden State's title window has almost slammed shut. Credit to new front office boss Mike Dunleavy Jr. for trying his best to preserve the Dubs' chances, but Steph and Draymond are both getting older and the Warriors are running out of time to pull off that fated blockbuster trade.

That makes it hard not to think about what's next. Golden State should win plenty of games this season. That is a quality roster. But, in the end, we cannot realistically expect the Warriors to compete with the Western Conference powerhouses once the postseason arrives. OKC, Denver, Minnesota — those teams are on a different level. And, despite this renewed commitment to winning, the front office has tellingly remained unwilling to part with key young pieces.

None are more key than Brandin Podziemski, the No. 19 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, who carved out an immediate role in Steve Kerr's rotation last season. It is virtually unheard of for a rookie to garner immediate playing time under Kerr, especially when he's taking minutes directly from a franchise legend like Klay Thompson. But Podz was undeniable, and he brought a tangible spark to the Warriors' lineup.

Now he's due for more minutes and an expanded slate of responsibilities as an NBA sophomore. We should expect big things accordingly.

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Brandin Podziemski is primed for a sophomore breakout with the Warriors

All summer, we heard about how badly the Warriors wanted Lauri Markkanen — and how badly the Jazz wanted Brandin Podziemski. Clearly, one pull was stronger than the other, as Golden State just couldn't bring itself to lob Podziemski into a trade for the All-Star forward.

Now, should Golden State have built a Markkanen trade package around Podziemski? Perhaps, but it's telling just how staunchly the Dubs held on to their rookie phenom. It's a testament to Kerr's confidence in Podziemski's ability to contribute right now, and it's a testament to how much that front office believes in Podziemski's upside.

Coming out of Santa Clara, it's safe to say Podz was billed as a 'high floor, muted ceiling' prospect, although that seems unfair and misinformed in hindsight. He's victim of all the traditional prejudices folks have when evaluating guards who don't run particularly fast or jump particularly high. Podziemski picked apart defenses with ball-handling craft, strength, and passing IQ at the college level. He did exactly that in the NBA, too.

Podziemski was always going to adjust effortlessly to more off-ball duties, playing the connector for a Dubs offense that still runs through its superstar fulcrum in Steph. The Warriors' offensive system is famously complex — it basically made Kelly Oubre look like a participant in Undercover Boss, and Oubre is a legitimately good NBA player — but Podz picked it up on the spot. He moves constantly without the ball, no doubt taking mental notes from his veteran backcourt teammates, and he's selfless in his approach, constantly making live reads and whipping passes before he even needs to dribble.

Hidden beneath the veneer of an excellent role player, however, is a prospect with real upside. Ask me which Warriors prospect has the highest ceiling and I'd be extremely tempted to roll with Podziemski over Kuminga, despite the latter's standout physical tools. One of the most underrated attributes in the prospect realm is feel. A player with elite feel, someone who understands the game on an elemental level, can often overcome athletic deficiencies in the NBA. Case and point, Steph Curry. Or Luka Doncic. The list goes on.

Podziemski isn't on that level, but he's a razor-sharp team defender who doesn't get caught out of position very often. On the offensive end, what Podz lacks in elite downhill burst, he makes up for by shifting gears with his handle, stop-starting his way to open driving lanes and deploying clever footwork to create space. There is legitimate on-ball utility for the Warriors to invest in. Podz has feather-soft touch on floaters around the rim, he made 38.5 percent of his 3s as a rookie, and he averaged a healthy 3.7 assists compared to only 1.2 turnovers.

The floor is extremely high, and almost by nature, a prospect with Podziemski's high floor has something of a high ceiling. So much of basketball transcends pure athleticism. And, to be frank, Podz is pretty underrated as an athlete. He's not exploding for dunks in traffic, but he's strong for his size and more than comfortable muscling opponents out of the way for rebounds.

Guards who can rebound, defend within a team construct, and toggle between on and off-ball duties while drilling 3s are catnip for any good front office. He is the crown jewel of Golden State's recent draft exploits and he should help steep this Warriors team into the future, whatever that future looks like.

Brandin Podziemski ranked No. 24 on FanSided's 2024-25 25-under-25, ranking the best young players in the NBA. Check out the rest of the list here.