Winners and losers from Warriors preseason

Warriors preseason loser: Brandin Podziemski

Although Brandin Podziemski played well against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, he left a lot on the table against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. Since Chris Paul and Curry were resting, this was Bradin's first start for the Warriors at point guard. In 32 minutes of play, Podziemski had four points, four assists, two turnovers, and finished 1-for-5 from the field. Comparatively, in Friday's game against the Lakers, Podziemski recorded 10 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds in just 26 minutes.

The Warriors still managed to beat the Kings 121-115, thanks to contributions from Moses Moody and Lester Quinones. Fear not Warriors fans, the 20-year-old guard out of Santa Clara was picked as one of the biggest steals in June’s 2023 NBA Draft in the NBA GM survey for a reason. There's plenty of upside there. In fact, Warriors guard Moses Moody told Jason Mastrodonato of The Mercury News that he's impressed by the rookie's overall pace. Moody said, "He’s been able to put pressure on the rim, attack and create. Not get overwhelmed when he gets in there. Just staying composed. I’m impressed with it.”

Despite a lackluster performance against the Kings, through three preseason games, Bradin has played 81 minutes and contributed 23 points, 17 rebounds, 18 assists and only three turnovers. As the season begins, Podziemski will have the opportunity to learn from two legends of the game: Chris Paul and Steph Curry. A mentorship and support program like that could be very beneficial to the rookie's development.