Podziemski's Next Job Is Bigger Than His Jump Shot
Brandin Podziemski proved last season he can shoot and stay on the floor; now, with two of Golden State's wings sidelined to start the year, he has to create instead of just finish plays.
Podziemski played all 82 games last season, hitting 37.1 percent from three on career-high volume while posting a true shooting mark of 58.3 percent. His usage sat at a modest 19.6 percent, a number that will have to rise once the opening weeks arrive without two of the roster's top scorers on the floor.
The floor he already has
Podziemski was on the floor for all 82 games last season, averaging 28.4 minutes, 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists. He shot 45.5 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from three on 5.0 attempts a night, pushing his true shooting to 58.3 percent, and he made 79.7 percent of his free throws. That efficiency came at a usage rate of just 19.6 percent, meaning the production did not require him to dominate the ball.
A lineup that shows the ceiling and the floor
The swings around him were steep. When he shared the floor with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Gary Payton II and Moses Moody, the group was outscored badly, a net rating of minus-11.8 over 13 games and 47 minutes. His own on-court net rating for the season was minus-0.1, almost identical to Golden State's overall minus-0.5, evidence that Podziemski was neither the problem nor yet the fix. His offensive rating, 110.3, and defensive rating, 110.4, tell the same story: a player holding serve, not tilting games by himself.
Why the timing matters now
Moses Moody and Jimmy Butler are both out into December with knee injuries, which means Podziemski opens camp as one of the more experienced perimeter players healthy enough to play major minutes. Golden State's payroll, at $223.3 million, already sits above the second apron, so there is no easy trade or free-agent fix arriving to lighten the workload. The team also has not decided on a Stephen Curry extension, according to a report from Anthony Slater, which keeps the timeline on this era murkier than usual. Podziemski, at $5.7 million on his rookie deal, is the cheapest source of minutes Kerr has at that position.
What he needs to be
The version of Podziemski that helps most this season is not just a shooter finishing plays that Curry starts. With Moody and Butler unavailable into December, he needs to create shots off the dribble, not only off movement, and turn his passing into more than an assist here and there. His 19.6 percent usage worked as a complement last season; carrying more of the offense for real stretches this fall is the actual test.
How many games did Brandin Podziemski play last season?
He played in all 82 games, averaging 28.4 minutes a night.
What is Podziemski's contract for 2026-27?
He is on his rookie-scale deal at $5.7 million, one of the cheapest salaries on a roster whose $223.3 million payroll sits above the second apron.
