With the preseason closer than one would think, it's time for teams to lock in their rosters and get ready to roll. The Golden State Warriors have had a pretty static summer when it comes to landing people. With Klay Thompson walking out the door, they should have looked to do more. Instead, they signed De'Anthony Melton, Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson, and Daeqwon Plowden. However, none of these players will be major stars for them in the future.
The big ticket for GSW was supposed to be Lauri Markkanen. Rumors have swirled all summer that the Warriors were at the top of the list for the player. This idea crumbled, though, with Utah signing Markkanen to a five-year extension instead. GSW didn't want to move certain pieces for the forward, specifically Brandin Podziemski.
Is Brandin Podziemski the future?
It's believed that the Jazz and Danny Ainge were looking to reel in a good chunk of assets in the trade with GSW. It's most likely that he was fishing for picks. However, the belief is that Ainge wanted sophomore Podziemski in the trade as well. The young guard could be a decent addition to a team trying to grow. He'll need to make a leap within the next three seasons to be worth the trade, but that could easily happen.
Unfortunately for Ainge, Podz is apparently not on the market. Golden State had no want to trade him, so the Markkanen trade never happened. Now, why didn't GSW budge on the trade? Well, Stephen Curry is getting up there in age. Unless he plans on playing all the way to LeBron James years, he could retire within the next three to four. A young guard will be a necessity for them, and it seems like Podz is the chosen one now.
Buddy Hield vs. Podziemski
Shooting guard Buddy Hield is entering his 12th year in the league. He averaged 12.2 points per game for the Philadelphia 76ers before making the offseason move to San Francisco. Podz finished his first season with the Warriors with 9.2 points per game. It will be interesting to see if the young guard keeps the spot in the starting lineup or if they shift over to Hield.
A shift to Hield could be a bad sign for the team. Think back to Jordan Poole. He was on top of the world after winning a ring, and suddenly, things came to a halt. He wasn't making progress anymore, and he was eventually seen more on the bench. Podz seems to have a great work ethic, but being bumped from the lineup can leave a bad taste in a player's mouth. GSW will need to do what's best for the team, and that could mean starting the new guard instead.
Warriors could fall flat again
Last season was a major disappointment for this team. They didn't make it into a playoff spot, and they flopped in the play-in. Did they grab some players this summer that could help them? Yes. However, the difference won't be much. There is a good chance Steph Curry will once again not make the playoffs.
The competition in the West is tough. The Dallas Mavericks will be hunting for another Finals appearance, Ja Morant is going to make a return, Anthony Edwards is hungry, and Nikola Jokic will always be deadly. The Golden State Warriors will have to find a way through a dangerous group. Even if they do make it to the playoffs, the competition will make it nearly impossible to hit the NBA Finals.
Hopefully, they can find themselves in at least a middle position in the standings. Brandin Podziemski did well in the Summer League, averaging 15.0 points, but the Summer League and NBA regular season are two very different things. Fans will have to wait and see how he does once the season starts.